On October 4th, local time, French President Emmanuel Macron and Secretary-General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, presided over the official welcoming ceremony for General Secretary and President To Lam and other heads of state attending the 19th Francophone Summit.

This event, held at Villers Cotterêts Castle, marks the first time that General Secretary and President To Lam has participated in the Francophone Summit, which gathers nearly 100 representatives from member countries of the Francophonie community, international organizations, and regional bodies.

With the theme "Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in French," the summit will discuss key priorities and directions for cooperation within the Francophonie, particularly focusing on economic collaboration, innovation, and creativity.

General Secretary and President To Lam is set to deliver a key speech, further highlighting Vietnam's active, responsible, and cooperative stance on global challenges, while contributing to a future of "peace, friendship, solidarity, and sustainable development."

In recent years, the Francophonie community has seen Vietnam as a model for socio-economic development and a key player in economic cooperation, particularly in the digital economy.

The Francophonie, with 88 member countries and territories representing a population of approximately 1.2 billion people, offers vast opportunities for economic cooperation, especially in trade, investment, education, sustainable agriculture, tourism, and technology.

During his time in Paris, General Secretary and President To Lam also met with Mr. Geoffroy Roux De Bezieux, Honorary President of the French Employers' Confederation and Founder of Notus Technologies. Roux De Bezieux, along with other business leaders, praised Vietnam’s interest in the Francophonie community and expressed their desire to collaborate with the country.

“The French Employers' Confederation is eager to work with Vietnam, particularly in the high-competition sectors of agricultural and food processing,” Roux De Bezieux stated.

General Secretary and President To Lam called on the French Employers' Confederation to continue supporting and acting as a bridge for business investments between the two countries. He highlighted that Vietnam prioritizes foreign investments that emphasize quality, efficiency, technology, and environmental protection.

General Secretary and President To Lam urged the French Employers' Confederation and the Francophone Employers' Union to strengthen ties and cooperation in areas where both sides have strong potential, including renewable energy, water treatment, waste recycling, infrastructure development, technology, innovation, digital transformation, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.