VietNamNet Bridge – Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF), became a guest of President Truong Tan Sang and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung in Ha Noi yesterday, March 13.

President Truong Tan Sang receives Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF), in Ha Noi yesterday during his visit to Viet Nam.

Diouf is on an official visit to Viet Nam from March 12-15 on the occasion of the International Day of Francophone (March 20).

President Sang said Viet Nam 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 Viet Nam 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 Viet Nam and the OIF, the President thanked the community's country members for their support for Viet Nam's membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Viet Nam heeds the development of French language and also cooperation with French-speaking countries, the State leader said.

For his part, Diouf described Viet Nam 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 Viet Nam 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, Diouf expressed his hope that President Sang will make it easier for Francophone to increase its influence in Viet Nam.

Meeting with NA Chair

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.

Viet Nam 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, 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 Viet Nam NA will continue supporting the French-speaking community's activities in the region and the world at large.

The same day, Diouf met also with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

At the meeting, Minh suggested the French-speaking community place more importance on collaboration in helping reduce poverty, the implementation of Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development, reasoning they are highest priorities of developing countries.

He also proposed strengthening the partnership between Viet Nam and the OIF, particularly in education and training and the teaching of French language in the country.

Diouf highly valued Viet Nam's active contributions to the Francophone community and called on Viet Nam to continue bringing into full play its role as a bridge for the organisation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Source: VNS