Vietnam affirms itself as active, responsible member of Francophone community

OIF Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo delivers the opening speech at the Vietnam-Francophone High-Level Economic Forum in March 2022. (Photo: VNA)

During his working trip from September 30 to October 7, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam will attend the 19th Francophonie Summit in France and pay an official visit to the European country at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Lam’s participation in the summit reaffirms Vietnam's role as a key, active, and responsible member in enhancing the image and presence of the Francophone community in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world.

Officially joining the International Organisation of La Francophone (OIF) in 1970, Vietnam has actively participated in various organisations within the community, and attended its summits since the very first one. It was elected to important positions of the organisation, such as Chair of the Permanent Council of the Francophone (CPF) in 1996, Chair of the Francophone Ministerial Conference (CMF) in the 1996-1997 tenure, Chair of the Francophone Summit for 1997-1998, Vice President of the CPF’s financial and administrative committee for 2009-2011 and 2011-2013, Chair of CPF’s cooperation and programme committee for 2013-2015, member of the executive council of the Association of Francophone Universities for 2013-2017, and Chair of the Network of Structures and Institutions in charge of Francophone in Asia-Pacific (RESIFAP) for 2013-2016.

Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Thi Hoang Mai was appointed by the OIF Secretary-General as head of the Francophone representative office in West Africa in September 2020. She is the first Asian person to head a regional OIF office overseas.

At the OIF, Vietnam has raised many initiatives to promote cooperation and enhance dialogue among its member countries in the community. The participation of high-ranking Vietnamese leaders in Francophone summits demonstrates the importance the country attaches to the Francophone community.

The most obvious imprint of Vietnam lied with the 7th Francophone Summit in Hanoi in November 1997, through which Vietnam made remarkable contributions to the institutionalisation of political activities, and promoting cooperation in economy, apart from politics, culture-language and education-training.

In March 2019, Vietnam for the first time held the celebration of International Francophone Day with the theme of “Couleurs Francophones” (Francophone Colours) to promote and introduce the community as well as its goals and values, and Vietnam’s role and contributions.

As Chair of the OIF’s economic committee, Vietnam successfully coordinated the drafting of the Francophone Economic Development Strategy for 2020-2025. The country was also the first stop of a Francophone business delegation in a series of activities to implement this strategy.

Most recently, on the sidelines of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting 2024 in Paris in May, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with OIF General-Secretary Louise Mushikiwabo.

The minister said Vietnam always support the OIF’s efforts in promoting cooperation for peace and development in the world, noting Vietnam will attend and actively contribute to the 19th Francophonie Summit slated for October in France.

Mushikiwabo stressed that the OIF attaches importance to Vietnam’s role and position in the Francophone community, and promised to help Vietnam enhance its economic, trade, investment and tourism ties with French-speaking countries in a sustainable manner.

The OIF will strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in spreading the language, and provide French language training for Vietnam's peacekeeping forces, she said, adding the organisation stands ready to admit Vietnamese officials to work at its Secretariat./.

VNA