Hanoi (VNA) – The official visit to France by Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his attendance at the 19th Francophonie Summit demonstrate Vietnam's strong bonds with the Francophone community and affirm that the country attaches importance to bilateral relations with the European country, said French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the diplomat stressed that the top Vietnamese leader’s visit will offer an opportunity for France to affirm its desire to further strengthen partnership with Vietnam – a country with many historical ties with France and connections within the Francophone community.

The Southeast Asian nation officially joined the International Organisation of La Francophone (OIF) in 1970. The organisation has played an important role in Vietnam's international integration activities, especially the hosting of the 7th Francophone Summit in Hanoi in 1997.

Vietnam is well aware of the opportunities brought by the Francophone community, especially in the economic field, as well as the country's contributions to the community, as it is the largest member country of OIF in Asia, the ambassador said.

Focusing on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship in French, the 19th Francophonie Summit will provide a venue for state and government heads of OIF member countries to exchange, discuss and propose solutions to major challenges to the development and innovation process, Brochet said, noting that the summit will also seek ways to address international issues of common concern.

On the sidelines of the event, Lam will attend and deliver speeches at events to introduce the cultural diversity of the Francophone community, and a FrancoTech exhibition on French-speaking businesses and markets, the diplomat added.

Regarding Francophone activities in Vietnam, the country's role in the Francophone community and opportunities brought by this community for Vietnam, Brochet said the Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions (GADIF) has proactively coordinated with Vietnamese authorities in the Francophone affairs.

The group has regularly organised meetings to discuss measures for promoting and developing the Francophone community, mainly in the fields of culture and language, he stated, adding that within the framework of GADIF, Vietnam can also discuss with the group specific issues related to the community.

He also highlighted the significance and role of the Asia Pacific office of the Francophone University Association (AUF) in Hanoi for university cooperation activities of Vietnam, and the country’s influence in the region.

Vietnam always supports the teaching and learning of French, creating opportunities for young people to access and study the language at leading universities in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada, he said.

Regarding economic cooperation, the OIF groups 88 member and observer countries and governments, so Vietnam can access this important market with hundreds of millions of consumers, have opportunities to attract investment and boost exports, or simply set up substantive cooperative ties with the member countries of OIF - a community that shares a common culture and vision, the diplomat stressed.

The ambassador said Vietnam and France have together built a strong, friendly, and increasingly trustworthy relationship, reflected in the joint celebration of 50 years of their diplomatic relations last year and the official visit to Vietnam by French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu to attend the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory in May this year.

The upcoming official visit to France by Vietnam’s top leader will provide an opportunity for both nations to continue their shared efforts in strengthening the bilateral partnership, with new areas of cooperation in sectors of mutual interest, as well as their international roles in promoting global security.

According to the diplomat, in terms of sustainable development, Vietnam and France can enhance collaboration in energy and transportation, with a focus on railway transport. Innovation and technology cooperation also holds promising potential, as numerous French businesses are well-positioned to share their expertise and technology with Vietnamese partners.

During the forthcoming meeting between their leaders, the countries are expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement on education. This document is anticipated to facilitate closer coordination between France and Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training on boosting French language teaching in Vietnamese schools, in a bid to increase both the quality and number of French language speakers in Vietnam.

The ambassador also touched on the importance of strengthening people-to-people exchanges, especially between younger generations. France hopes to see more Vietnamese students choosing to study in France, while it is also pleased to see more French students participating in exchange programmes, spending one or two semesters at Vietnamese universities partnered with French institutions, he said.

Culture remains a central pillar of the bilateral partnership, he affirmed, noting the Vietnamese Government has identified the development of cultural and creative industries among key objectives for driving growth, while France, with its expertise in this field, is capable of assisting Vietnam in relevant projects.

♍ The diplomat held that there are also numerous other areas for potential cooperation through business-to-business partnerships, public sector collaboration, or within the framework of decentralised cooperation initiatives./.