Vietnam pledges to enhance its role as active and responsible member of OIF

VOV.VN - The nation will promote its role as an active and responsible member of the OIF and further contribute to the organization’s efforts for peace, cooperation and development in its member countries and the world.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc was speaking this during a reception for Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo in Hanoi on March 25.

The Vietnamese State leader thanked Mushikiwabo for her selection of Vietnam as the first destination of the trip by the Economic and Commercial Mission of La Francophonie, which was joined by nearly 100 entrepreneurs from Francophone countries globally.

The successes of the delegation, with specific cooperation agreements reached, have contributed to reinforcing the traditional relations, friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and many Francophone countries, he emphasized.

Phuc highlighted the great potential for collaboration of the Francophone economic space, which, he said, should be optimised to further contribute to economic recovery and development in member countries.

The President hailed efforts and initiatives by the OIF Secretary-General to promote international peace, cooperation and solidarity, and accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and digital transformation, as well as her part in responding to global challenges like epidemics, climate change and environmental pollution, helping to affirm the OIF’s role as an important global multilateral institution that works to serve common interests of the international community.

Phuc proposed a score of measures to step up bilateral cooperation, and connectivity between Vietnamese businesses and Francophone partners.

He suggested the Francophone community help Vietnam augment cooperation with the African Union and provide professional and French language training for Vietnamese officers who will join United Nations peacekeeping operations in Francophone countries in Africa.

Phuc thanked the OIF for its attention to the East Sea issue, expressing his hope that the organisation will pay great attention to peace and stability in Asia-Pacific, and back efforts to maintain security and freedom of navigation and aviation, and turn the East Sea into a region of peace, stability and prosperity.

The OIF leader highlighted Vietnam as an important member of the organisation, and was appreciative of the positive role of Vietnam in pushing up economic partnership among OIF member countries.

Mushikiwabo said that Francophone countries are interested in ramping up economic and trade cooperation with Vietnam. This is the reason why Vietnam has been chosen as the first destination for the OIF trade promotion delegation and the first member country that the OIF Secretary-General visits after two years of interruption due to COVID-19.

She pledged to support proposals given by President Phuc to enhance the collaboration between Vietnam and the OIF.

Earlier, Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophone (APF)’s Vietnam Sub-Committee and APF Vice President Nguyen Thuy Anh, who is also head of the National Assembly Committee for Social Affairs, had a meeting with the OIF Secretary-General.

Anh affirmed that the Vietnamese NA takes heed to cooperation with Francophone countries and has actively engaged in activities of the OIF through the APF’s Vietnam Sub-Committee.

She proposed that the OIF further promote its role as an important multilateral organization and back Vietnam’s bids for important positions at multilateral organizations. The OIF should serve as a bridge helping Vietnam reach more Francophone countries, especially those in Africa, Anh said.

For her part, Mushikiwabo congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in international integration and underlined the importance of boosting collaboration agreements as a way of contributing to carrying out sustainable development goals.

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