Can Tho (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man received President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF) and Senior Deputy Speaker of Cameroon's National Assembly Hilarion Etong in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on January 21.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of the APF Executive Committee’s meeting and a parliamentary forum on Francophonie cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security, and climate change response held in the Vietnamese locality.
NA Chairman Man praised Etong's APF leadership, particularly highlighting the organisation's growing influence in promoting parliamentary diplomacy and implementing inter-parliamentary cooperation programmes under its 2020–2030 strategic framework.
He expressed his hope that Etong will continue supporting activities of the APF’s Vietnamese sub-committee, including the adoption of the Can Tho declaration on Francophone cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security and climate change response. The document is expected to affirm the determination and aspirations of Francophone parliamentarians towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and handling global challenges.
For his part, the APF leader spoke highly of Vietnam’s meticulous preparation for the events, hoping that the Can Tho declaration will be adopted, marking a milestone in the APF’s development.
Regarding the Vietnam – Cameroon relations, Man said Vietnam values the traditional friendship and cooperation with the African country, acknowledging the latter’s emergence as Central Africa’s largest economy and the locomotive of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa.
The top legislator of Vietnam outlined several ways to deepen the countries' multifaceted cooperation, particularly in the areas of economy, trade, investment, and agriculture, including increasing mutual visits and supporting each other at multilateral forums.
Noting bilateral economic cooperation remains modest, he suggested promoting discussions, intensifying market information exchange, and exploring opportunities in the domains of their strengths, particularly agriculture.
Vietnam stands ready to collaborate with Cameroon in seeking third-party funding for trilateral agricultural development projects, he said, calling for the resumption of negotiations on important agreements regarding investment facilitation and protection, and double taxation avoidance to strengthen the legal framework for bilateral cooperation.
As parliamentary cooperation is an important channel in the Vietnam – Cameroon relations both bilaterally and multilaterally, the two NAs should step up exchanges between their specialised agencies, young parliamentarians and female legislators, Man added./.
