Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam wants the Francophone community to promote economic cooperation, aside from linguistic and cultural diversity, among its member countries, President Tran Dai Quang told Mechaelle Jean,𝕴 Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), on October 11.

At the reception in Hanoi, President Quang said enhancing solidarity and cooperation among the OIF member countries is of great importance. At the seventh Francophonie Summit in Hanoi in 1997, Vietnam initiated and, along with other OIF members, highlighted the importance of fostering economic partnership among Francophone countries. This is an important factor that helps to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and meets the member nations’ expectations, he noted. He emphasised that his country supports the Secretary-General’s efforts to promote the implementation of the Economic Strategy for La Francophonie, approved in 2014. It also believes that under the leadership of Mechaelle Jean, the OIF will have an increasing stature in the international community and substantially assist its members’ sustainable development. Vietnam is committed to actively contributing to the OIF’s common efforts, and it is ready to act as a bridge linking the organisation and the ASEAN countries, he added. He said he will lead a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to the 16th Francophonie Summit, themed “Shared growth and responsible development: conditions for stability around the world and within La Francophonie”, slated for this November in Madagascar and will deliver a speech sharing the country’s viewpoints and experience to join hands with the OIF countries in achieving this goal. Vietnam wants more cooperation with and assistance from the OIF and its members, Quang said, asking Mechaelle Jean and the OIF countries to support Vietnam’s candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, and its candidacy for the posts of UNESCO Director-General and member of the International Law Commission in the 2017-2021 tenure. For her part, OIF Secretary-General Mechaelle Jean spoke highly of Vietnam’s accomplishments in socio-economic development and international integration. The OIF is bound to carry out a business incubator model in Asia-Pacific and increase support for start-ups, among others. She hopes that as an example of socio-economic development in the region, Vietnam will continue playing its role in connectivity to help bring about prosperity for all member countries, she said. She also valued Vietnam’s approach to cooperation with African nations, which is cooperation together with solidarity and cooperation for people’s interests and community responsibility. This approach completely suits the upcoming summit’s theme “Shared growth and responsible development”. Recognising its contributions to the OIF, Mechaelle Jean said together with participating in new free trade agreements, and expanding cooperation and investment in other countries, Vietnam will contribute greatly to the development of the Francophone community.-VNA