Phnom Penh, November 13, 2026 — Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame have begun a historic state visit to Cambodia with a formal royal welcome from King Norodom Sihamoni at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
The visit, the first state visit by a Rwandan president to Cambodia, was made at the invitation of the Cambodian monarch. It comes ahead of the 20th Summit of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), which Cambodia will host on November 15–16.
The royal reception included a ceremonial procession and an audience during which the two sides exchanged views. President Kagame and the First Lady also paid tribute to the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk by laying a wreath at his statue in Phnom Penh.
The programme includes meetings with Senate President Hun Sen, National Assembly President Khuon Sudary and Prime Minister Hun Manet. Discussions are expected to explore stronger bilateral relations and practical cooperation, with agreements covering trade, investment, aviation and tourism expected to be signed.
Rwanda and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 2005. Their cooperation has since included a 2023 memorandum between their central banks on financial sector development, a 2025 memorandum on bilateral consultations and a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, as well as further work on cross-border payments in 2026.
The visit also coincides with Cambodia’s first hosting of the biennial Francophonie Summit, held under the theme “Reinvest in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Lasting Stability.” One key issue is the election of the OIF Secretary-General for 2027–2030. Rwanda’s incumbent, Louise Mushikiwabo, is seeking a third term against candidates from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania and Romania.
The high-level engagements offer both countries an opportunity to strengthen ties between Southeast Asia and East Africa and translate diplomatic relations into trade, investment and connectivity partnerships.
Source: TOP AFRICA NEWS
