As part of activities during the France-Vietnam Exchange Year to markthe 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, the seminar aimedto build traditional, comprehensive, long-term and reliable strategicpartnerships between localities of the two nations.
Addressing the event, French Minister of Development Pascan Canfin saidthe seminar offers a chance for those who engage in cooperationactivities and social organisations to share experience and discuss waysto boost cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities.
Local-level projects jointly implemented by the two sides recentlyhave contributed effectively to the development of Vietnam andFrance, he noted.
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign MinisterBui Thanh Son underlined the importance of the seminar, which tookplace in the context that the two countries are looking forward toestablishing a strategic partnership in 2013.
Franceis now one of Vietnam’s largest European trade partners andinvestors, Son said, adding that it is always one of the leadingproviders of official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam overmore than one decade.
French-funded projects have helped Vietnamese localities reduce poverty and boost socio-economic development, he said.
Participants at the seminar focused their discussion on education andtraining, health care and culture in the Francophone community;sustainable urban and rural planning and development; and sustainableeconomic development and cooperative tools serving local-level economicdiplomacy.-VNA