French-speaking nations hold a summit in Cambodia as a conflict in Africa threatens a rift

PHNOM PENH: Emmanuel Macron is set to attend a biennial meeting of French-speaking territories beginning on Saturday in Cambodia, where the French president contending with public unrest at home will face international political challenges as a conflict in Africa hangs over the proceedings.

Macron and first lady Brigitte Macron were greeted on the tarmac in Phnom Penh by traditional Apsara dancers performing classical blessings. The French leader, who said on X that he seeks to develop new markets in Cambodia for French businesses, later met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

The Organization internationale de la Francophonie, or OIF, is holding the three-day meeting through Monday in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.