France Donates Archival Preservation Equipment to Cambodia in Support of Shared Heritage

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Aug. 29, 2025) — The French Embassy in Cambodia formally handed over archival preservation equipment to the Cambodian government Friday, in a ceremony held at the Office of the Council of Ministers and presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Visoth and French Ambassador Olivier Richard.

The donation, comprising 10 units of specialized archival storage materials weighing a total of 1,381 kilograms, was provided by Société Cauchard through the French Embassy. The equipment is intended to support Cambodia’s efforts to modernize and safeguard its national archives.

Senior Cambodian officials, including Deputy Prime Ministers Ouk Rabun, Thong Khon and Chea Chanto, joined the event alongside ministry leaders and civil servants. Vongsey Visoth welcomed Ambassador Richard, who was recently appointed to his post, and expressed hope for continued cooperation to strengthen Cambodia–France relations.

“The preservation of historical records is essential to safeguarding national identity and sovereignty,” Visoth said, noting that Cambodia’s archives date back to the colonial era and reflect centuries of shared history and administrative influence between the two nations.

He emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet and former Prime Minister Hun Sen, now President of the Senate, Cambodia places high priority on modernizing its archival systems. Visoth also called for deeper collaboration with France to enhance archival digitization and preservation, describing it as a vital component of the countries’ shared cultural legacy.

The donation was praised as a symbol of enduring friendship and mutual respect, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to protecting historical knowledge and promoting institutional cooperation.