In his remarks, Minister Bui Thanh Son recalled the seventh Francophone Summit in Hanoi 25 years ago, the first of its kind in Asia-Pacific, which adopted the Charter of La Francophonie and elected the first OIF Secretary General.
The Francophone offered a door for Vietnam to boost its international integration during the initial stage of Doi moi (Renewal), while the summit was the first biggest multilateral event hosted by Vietnam since the country embarked on the reform process, he noted.
The summit demonstrated Vietnam’s sound foreign policy of being a trustworthy friend, an active and responsible member of the international community, and together striving for peace, national dependence, democracy, development cooperation and social progress, he continued.
Vietnam drew experience from hosting the summit to successfully organise many events of major multilateral forums like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the minister stressed.
Apart from creating an impulse for equal, mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and member countries of the Francophone community, the summit helped to promote cultural values associated with French and boost the development of the language in Vietnam.
Son attributed achievements Vietnam has recorded over the past 25 years to the timely support of the international community, including Francophone member countries.
Emphasising the need for Francophone countries to pay more attention to youths in terms of employment, startup and innovation, OIF Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo said Vietnam is an example for its support to young people, especially in startup, and the OIF would like to contribute to these efforts.
With its development pace and huge technological potential, Vietnam plays an important role in the implementation of the Francophone Economic Development Strategy, she affirmed.
On this occasion, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam was honoured with the annual award of the Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions in Vietnam (GADIF).
