Leaders receive Francophone Secretary General

The OIF official is on an official visit to Vietnam from March 12-15 on the occasion of the International Day of Francophone (March 20).

President Sang said Vietnam highly values the OIF Secretary General's initiatives in stepping up cooperation among the French-speaking community as well as between the OIF and other regional and international organisations. He confirmed that Vietnam backs the Francophone community's development values and orientations that target peace, culture and language diversity, solidarity and development. Noting with pleasure the fruitful collaboration between Vietnam and the OIF, the President thanked the community's country members for their support for Vietnam's membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council. Vietnam heeds the development of French language and also cooperation with French-speaking countries, the State leader said. For his part, Abdou Diouf described Vietnam as the cradle of French language in Asia, saying the OIF will expand every effort to enhance its relationship with the country. He also called on Vietnam to serve as a bridge for the organisation and non French-speaking countries. Informing about the upcoming Francophone Summit themed "Women and young people of the Francophone, actors for peace, vectors for sustainable development," in Senegal, Abdou Diouf expressed his hope that President Sang will make it easier for Francophone to increase its influence in Vietnam. At his meeting with the OIF official, Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung stressed parliaments' role in improving the efficiency of Francophone activities. He underlined the law-making body's support for the relationship with the French-speaking community, especially the Francophone Parliamentary Alliance (APF)'s activities in poverty reduction, human rights and social welfare. Vietnam has proven itself as a responsible member of the Francophone community and the OIF, for peace, cooperation, solidarity and friendship, and fostered its ties with other countries, he said. In his views, Abdou Diouf said parliamentary alliances have played an important role in strengthening collaboration between countries and the French-speaking community. He further said the community is accelerating the APF's activities in a bid to raise the efficiency of its joint action plans. He expressed his hope that the Vietnam NA will continue supporting the French-speaking community's activities in the region and the world at large.

(Source: Nhandan Newspaper Online)