Partnership between Northern and Southern NGOs is highly valued. But the word “partnership” is quite vague and it covers a large diversity of practices. The asymmetry between both partners is often very strong. Can Northern NGOs support the emergence and consolidation of truly autonomous Southern NGOs, and how? Analysing the history of a 10 years partnership between GRET and CEDAC, a French and a Cambodian NGO, working together on rural development issues in Cambodia, this paper highlights numerous lessons on partnership and capacity building.