Francophone delegation seeks trade, investment opportunities in Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) meets General Secretary of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo during his official visit to France last November. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A Francophone delegation for trade and economic promotion is visiting Vietnam from March 21 – 30 to help French-speaking enterprises expand business overseas and promote sustainable post-pandemic recovery.

Led by General Secretary of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo, the visit forms part of the efforts to implement the Francophone Economic Development Strategy from 2020 – 2025.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the delegation includes about 70 French-speaking companies, the largest number of foreign firms visiting Vietnam since the country entered the “new normal” phase post-COVID-19.

From March 21 – 26, enterprises from 24 Francophone countries and OIF member governments are scheduled to meet with over 420 Vietnamese firms to discuss business and investment projects, mostly in the three main areas of agriculture – food processing, sustainable energy, commodity and digital services.

The delegation will cooperate with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to host a Francophone business forum in Ho Chi Minh City on March 22 – 23 and the Vietnam – Francophone high-level economic in Hanoi on March 24 to introduce Vietnam’s strategic orientation, business and investment opportunities and the local business climate.

Various B2B meetings, fact-finding trips and gala dinners will be held to accelerate economic and trade cooperation between the Francophone community and Vietnamese partners.

Founded in 1970, the OIF now has 88 member states and observers. Together they account for 16 percent of the global population and 16.5 percent of the world’s total assets.

Since becoming an OIF member in 1979, Vietnam has consistently strengthened partnership with the Francophone community and been an active and core member of the organisation in Asia-Pacific. It hosted the Francophone Summit in 1997.

Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Thi Hoang Mai was appointed as head of the Francophone representative office in West Africa last year. She is the first Asian to head a regional OIF office overseas./.

VNA