The Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation model, the only cooperation mechanism between Vietnamese localities and their foreign counterparts, has developed constantly and fruitfully since it was initiated in the 1990s.

Worthy of note is the effective cooperation between France’s Brest city and Vietnam’s Haiphong city, Brest and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province of Vietnam, Poitou, Chrennes, Rennes and Toulouse with Hue city of Vietnam, and Choisy-le-Roi and Vietnam’s Hanoi capital.

In a letter to the conference, the 9th of its kind, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung noted that cooperation between the two countries’ localities has become an exemplary role model, contributing to the development of the traditional friendship and long-term, comprehensive, and reliable relationship between Vietnam and France.

At the event, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said France is leading the list of foreign investors in Vietnamese localities, with more than 230 projects implemented in many provinces and cities across the country.

Despite limited financial capacity, these decentralised cooperation projects have brought about practical results, helping both sides strengthen international relations and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

He went on to say that the model has supported national-level cooperation programmes and met local development requirements, offering the chance for both sides to share experience, increase management skills, and transfer technology, so as to benefit their residents.

The diplomat attributed the success to the strong support from the two governments, mutual trust of the localities and their strong will to carry out the joint projects.

During the three-day conference, discussions will be focused on education-training-health and culture cooperation within the Francophonie space, sustainable rural and urban planning and development, and steady economic development.

In an interview granted to the Paris-based correspondent, Brest mayor Francois Cuillandre, expressed his hope that his city will expand cooperation with Vietnamese localities in other areas besides education, health, the environment and culture.

VOV