President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Thursday, November 12, ahead of a state visit and the 20th Summit of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).
The visit is expected to strengthen relations between Rwanda and Cambodia, with the two countries set to sign cooperation agreements covering trade, investment, air transport and tourism.
On Friday, November 13, Kagame and the First Lady are scheduled to meet King Norodom Sihamoni at the Royal Palace, where the Rwandan leader will hold talks with the Cambodian monarch.
They will also visit Cambodia’s Independence Monument and the memorial dedicated to former King Norodom Sihanouk, the father of the current monarch.
Kagame is separately scheduled to meet Senate President Hun Sen, National Assembly President Khuon Sudary and Prime Minister Hun Manet. Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
The state visit comes ahead of the Francophonie summit, which Cambodia will host in Phnom Penh on November 15 and 16 under the theme of reinvesting in peace for shared prosperity and lasting stability.
The gathering will also determine who leads the organisation for the 2027–2030 term. Rwanda’s incumbent Secretary-General, Louise Mushikiwabo, is seeking another term and faces three challengers: Juliana Amato Lumumba of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Coumba Ba of Mauritania and Dacian Cioloș of Romania.
The election is scheduled for November 16, with leaders of the organisation’s 53 full member states and governments expected to take part.
Cambodia is hosting the Francophonie summit for the first time. It is also the first time since the 1997 summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, that the gathering is being held in Southeast Asia.
