AKP Phnom Penh, September 11, 2026 -- Cambodian Minister of Post and Telecommunications H.E. Chea Vandeth attended the International Space Summit in Paris as the official representative of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, following an invitation from French President H.E. Emmanuel Macron.

The summit, held from Sept. 9 to 10 and co-hosted by France and Germany, brought together over 2,000 participants, including heads of state, government leaders, ministers responsible for space affairs, and representatives from more than 90 countries, alongside international organisations and private sector leaders.

As the first international summit of its kind dedicated to space affairs, the event aimed to convene global stakeholders to jointly declare a shared commitment to the peaceful and sustainable use of space, set against a backdrop of intensifying global economic and strategic competition in space exploration.

During the summit, Cambodia officially endorsed three declarations initiated by France.

On the sidelines of the summit, Minister Vandeth held bilateral meetings with H.E. Philippe Baptiste, French Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Space, and H.E. Ms. Eléonore Caroit, Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nationals Abroad.

During his meeting with H.E. Philippe Baptiste, the Cambodian Telecom Minister discussed potential technical cooperation and human resource development in satellite technology and space science. The French side expressed gratitude to Cambodia for backing the three summit declarations.

In a separate discussion with H.E. Ms. Eléonore Caroit, the two sides explored expanding bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence, space technology, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and semiconductors.

Following the summit, the Cambodian Minister will lead a delegation to Toulouse, a primary aerospace hub in France and Europe, to visit key space institutions and industrial firms.

By K. Rithy Reak