France-Vietnam Friendship Association holds 17th national congress (Photo: VNA) The AAFV held its 17th national congress and aceremony to mark its 60th founding anniversary in Montreuil, onNovember 19-20.
Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang appreciatedthe contributions made by the AAFV - one of the oldest friendship associationswith Vietnam – over the past 60 years.
He quoted Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh duringhis working session with AAFV representatives in his recent official visit toFrance as saying that Vietnam always keeps in mind the sentiments and valuablecontributions of many generations of AAFV leaders and members to Vietnam.
In 2019 and 2020, the association carried out 27 projects totalingover 100,000 EUR (112,000 USD) in 16 Vietnamese provinces and cities,supporting poor households, providing scholarships for poor students with goodlearning performances, and assisting Agent Orange/dioxin victims.
The AAFV said in its report that after its working sessionwith PM Chinh on November 5, it sent a letter to France’s authorised officesshowing its wish that the two sides will intensify cooperation within theStrategic Partnership framework and develop cooperation opportunities throughthe EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, and France will ratify the EU-VietnamInvestment Protection Agreement, and propose the EU remove its “yellow card”warning related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing againstVietnam.
In the time ahead, the association vowed to step upactivities to introduce the image of Vietnam’s nation and people, and support cooperationactivities between the two countries.
Within the framework of the congress, a talk themed “Climatechange in the 21st century and direct impacts on Vietnam, a photoexhibition featuring Vietnam’s dioxin victims, a lacquer painting exhibition,and another introducing Vietnam’s newspapers and magazines were also held./.
VNA
