PHNOM PENH, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 20th Francophonie Summit officially opened in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on Sunday with a primary focus on peacebuilding, international cooperation, multilateralism, and sustainable development.
The two-day summit brought together heads of state, government leaders, and high-level delegations from more than 80 French-speaking territories of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
Under the theme "Reinvesting in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Stability," the biennial meeting provided a vital platform to strengthen ties among OIF members and reaffirmed shared values of solidarity, openness, dialogue, cultural diversity, and cooperation.
In his opening address, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni stressed the value of peace, stating that prosperity cannot endure without it.
"For us, reinvesting in peace means giving future generations what our people have been deprived of for so long," he said. "We wish to pass on a lasting peace to future generations."
French President Emmanuel Macron said the Francophonie must rise to the challenges of a changing world and meet the expectations of its people, most notably its youth.
"We envision a Francophonie that is more political, more economic, more innovative, and more practical, a Francophonie that takes decisive, meaningful action," he said during his speech at the opening ceremony.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Cambodia wanted to serve as a bridge between Asia and the Francophone world amid growing global fragmentation.
He said Asia is at the forefront of a changing world, acting as both an engine of growth and a crossroads of civilizations.
Hun Manet said reinvesting in peace means refusing to become accustomed to war, and focusing on preventing damage rather than repairing it.
He noted that peace takes generations to build, yet only days to destroy.
"Peace builds trust. Trust attracts investment, and shared prosperity safeguards peace," he said. "No state can shoulder this responsibility alone."
According to the schedule, the summit is expected to adopt three key outcome documents for the Francophone community -- the Phnom Penh Declaration, the Resolution on Situations of Crisis, Crisis Recovery and Peacebuilding, and the Phnom Penh Appeal on the Protection of Cultural Heritage and the Promotion of Cultural Diversity.■
