Phnom penh: The 20th Francophonie Summit to be held in Phnom Penh this November will further strengthen relations and cooperation between Cambodia and French-speaking nations around the world, said French Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Olivier Richard. According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, by hosting the 20th Francophonie Summit, Cambodia has demonstrated its close ties with the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF). This is not surprising, as His Majesty the late King Norodom Sihanouk was one of the founding members of the organisation, along with H.E. Léopold Sédar Senghor of Senegal, H.E. Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia, and H.E. Hamani Diori of Niger, he told AKP in an interview via Telegram this week. 'Cambodia is also playing a role as a champion of the Francophonie movement in the Asia-Pacific region,' he added. The return of the Summit to the region - after the 6th Summit held in Vietnam in 1997, nearly 30 years ago - will be a historic event, he underlined. H.E. Olivier Richard said the Fra ncophonie Summit will provide Heads of State and Government of French-speaking countries with a platform to discuss major geopolitical, economic, and development issues. Francophonie represents a unique forum for dialogue, spanning five continents and united by the common use of the French language, he emphasised. 'This summit also demonstrates the commitment of its members to the principles of multilateralism and their willingness to work together to address the major challenges of our time. I would particularly highlight the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the role of the French language in this technological revolution,' he said. Cambodia is one of the 90 member states and governments of the OIF, including 53 full members, five associate members, and 32 observers. Worldwide, there are an estimated 396 million French speakers.