French Ambassador Mr. Thierry Mathou, along with his spouse Mrs Cécile Mathou and other dignitaries, paid a courtesy visit to Governor of Sikkim Mr. Om Prakash Mathur at Raj Bhavan yesterday evening. During the meeting, Mr. Mathou shared France’s plans for collaborative projects in Sikkim. Key initiatives discussed included efforts to preserve Sikkim’s biodiversity, particularly through a project focused on the protection of red pandas, with support from French NGOs. The French Ambassador discussed plans to develop a network of cable cars to help address Gangtok’s traffic challenges, supporting sustainable urban development in the region.

The Ambassador also proposed the development of sister-city relations between Digne, a city in France and Sikkim. This partnership would foster exchanges in culture, tradition, waste management, and water management practices, Mr. Mathou mentioned plans to hold a photography exhibition in 2026, in collaboration with the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. The exhibition will honour Alexandra DavidNéel, the Belgian-French explorer, spiritualist, and author who lived in Sikkim from 1912-1916 where she learned and practiced Buddhism. She also made a legendary visit to Lhasa, Tibet, in 1924. Governor Mr. O.P Mathur responded positively to these proposals, expressing enthusiasm specifically with his emphasis on organic farming and promotion of products, potential collaborations in areas such as tourism, waste management, and technological advancements where French expertise could be valuable. The Governor also requested Mr. Mathou and his family to revisit Sikkim.