Vietnam and OIF affirm close co-operation during Hanoi talks
VOV.VN - Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son held talks on March 24 alongside Louise Mushikiwabo, secretary general of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), who is in Vietnam for an official visit from March 21 to March 26.
Minister Son welcomed Mushikiwabo’s visit, considering it an important milestone in the co-operative relationship between Vietnam and the Francophone community.
He voiced Vietnamese support for the OIF’s efforts in promoting French language use, cultural diversity, and high-quality education, especially its initiatives strengthen economic co-operation in the Francophone world, making an important contribution to the post-COVID-19 socio-economic recovery.
Vietnam will continue to participate in the OIF’s activities and will become an active and responsible member of the Francophone community, he told his guest.
Minister Son made specific proposals aimed at forging closer co-operation between the two sides in the fields of economics, trade, and French language teaching. He also requested that the OIF support French training for Vietnamese forces participating in UN peacekeeping operations, whilst simultaneously helping to strengthen relations between Vietnam and the African Union (AU).
The Vietnamese Minister thanked the OIF for its attention to regional issues, including the East Sea issue, and expressed hope that it would support the Vietnamese stance on settling East Sea disputes peacefully in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to turn the waters into an area of peace, stability, and prosperity.
In response, Mushikiwabo emphasised that the fact she led the first Francophone trade and economic promotion delegation to Vietnam highlights that the OIF attaches great importance to the role and position of Vietnam within the Francophone community.
She stated that the delegation’s visit is just a starting point in connecting Vietnamese and Francophone businesses. She suggested that the two sides develop specific plans aimed at realising the outcome of her visit in order to raise economic co-operation between Vietnam and Francophone countries to new heights.
The OIF Secretary General acknowledged the Vietnamese proposals, affirming that the Francophone community will strive to strengthen co-operation with Vietnam in teaching French, joining UN peacekeeping operations, and fostering co-operative relations with the AU.
The same day Mushikiwabo attended and delivered a speech at a high-level economic forum between Vietnam and the OIF in Hanoi.
During her stay, Mushikiwabo is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and meet other Vietnamese officials.
The OIF leader will also attend ceremonies to mark International Francophonie Day and 25 years of the seventh Francophone Summit in Hanoi.
