French defence official promises exchange visits between military leaders

A French defence official has pledged to facilitate exchanges of military leaders between Cambodia and France and to step up efforts to establish a demining training course for Cambodian deminers.

French Defence Attaché to Cambodia Admiral Frederic Daumas (left) and Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), met in Phnom Penh on 31 July. Photo RCAF

The pledge was made during a meeting between Vong Pisen, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), and outgoing French defence attaché to Cambodia Admiral Frederic Daumas, based in Hanoi, Vietnam, at the RCAF headquarters in Phnom Penh on 31 July.

According to a 31 July RCAF press release, Daumas said that during his three-year tour, he was impressed by the RCAF's significant role in participating in UN peacekeeping missions.

He said that in the past, the RCAF had organised visits for all French defence attachés to various areas to give them an insight into the RCAF's activities and a better understanding of its role.

Pisen noted that France has provided equipment and training to the RCAF in a variety of areas, including national defence, staff command, military police, engineering and, in particular, the training of UN peacekeepers.

He expressed his gratitude for the French warships that docked at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS) in 2023 and hoped for continued cooperation in the training of human resources, exchange of visits at all levels, exchange of intelligence information and the fight against crime.

He recalled that France has helped Cambodia in many areas, including the economy, trade, education, health, energy, clean water and the preservation of national heritage.