PHNOM PENH, 10 Oct. 2012 (PRU) - French Ambassador His Excellency Christian Connan informed Deputy Prime Minister His Excellency Dr. Sok An on Tuesday that Paris is looking forward to increase tourism and investments with Cambodia, a move that shows stronger bilateral relations over time.
The outgoing Ambassador Connan recalled the French business group, which visited Cambodia recently, and was pleased with Cambodia’s development and showed their interest to expand investments in the Kingdom.
Both sides shared joint views that their relations have improved over time and that it is contributing to increased investment and tourism for mutual benefit in the long run.
Paris sees the bilateral relations “to reach its highest level ever in 2013”, said the Ambassador.
His Excellency Connan also informed His Excellency Dr. Sok An, who is also Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, that French investors would look to invest more in the area of manufacturing in Cambodia.
The Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the Ambassador’s initiative to encourage French interest in rice investment in the Kingdom that has large potential in rice production.
The country’s rice production is targeted at approximately 8 million tons for 2011/2012 and exports its surplus rice to Vietnam and Thailand every year.
Cambodia exported 180,000 tons of milled rice last year and targets 1 million ton of milled rice export by 2015.
The Kingdom of Wonder has high potential in tourism, especially cultural tourism which contributes significantly towards the sharp increase in foreign tourist arrivals to nearly 3 millions a year over the last couple of years.
The IMF forecast last week said that Cambodia’s growth will reach up to 7 percent this year, thanks to growth in the agriculture, tourism and construction sectors.
Paris has long-standing historic ties with Cambodia.
In 2005, the official visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen featured the signing of the first Framework Partnership Document.
In November 2006, King Sihamoni made a State visit to France, and Prime Minister Hun Sen made another official visit to France in July 2009 and attended the 14th July parade as guest of honour. End