The event, which is taking place on the occasion of the 40^th anniversary of the International Organisation of Francophony (OIF), will focus on three major topics: the Francophone community - a factor in international relations and its position in the world; the Francophone community and sustainable development; the Francophone community and the challenges ahead.

The community now has 56 member countries and territories, along with 14 observing countries. The first Francophone summit was held in 1986 in Versailles, France, with the participation of 41 French-speaking nations.

The seventh Summit, held in Hanoi in 1997, elected Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former UN Secretary General, as the first Secretary General of the Francophone Community.

There are around 200 million French-speaking people in the world, 470,000 of them in Vietnam. Vietnam is an active member in the Francophone community and has positively contributed to its development.

As ASEAN Chair for 2010, Vietnam has an opportunity to create a closer link between ASEAN and the Francophone organisation.