President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame were received by Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on November 13, 2026, as Rwanda seeks to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with the Southeast Asian country.
The royal reception was followed by talks between President Kagame and King Sihamoni, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
President Kagame and the First Lady arrived in Cambodia on November 12 for a state visit aimed at advancing cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and air transport.
During the visit, Kagame is also expected to hold talks with senior Cambodian leaders, including Senate President Hun Sen, National Assembly President Khuon Sudary and Prime Minister Hun Manet.
The two countries are expected to sign cooperation agreements in several sectors, including trade, investment, tourism and air transport.
The visit also comes ahead of the 20th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), scheduled for November 15–16 in Phnom Penh.
The summit will focus on the role of the French language in promoting peace, cooperation and sustainable security. It will also host the election of the organisation’s Secretary-General for the 2027–2030 term.
Rwanda’s Louise Mushikiwabo, who has led the OIF since 2019, is seeking a third term. Her challengers are Juliana Amato Lumumba of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Coumba Bâ of Mauritania and Dacian Cioloș of Romania.
The election is scheduled for November 16, with 53 full member states entitled to vote.
Cambodia is hosting the summit for the first time. It is also the first time since 1997, when the event took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, that the Francophonie summit is being held in Southeast Asia.
