The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and French Embassy in Vietnam on Nov. 19 signed an agreement on cooperation in information, aiming at strengthening bilateral cooperation in political, economic, cultural, social and scientific information.

Addressing the signing ceremony, VNA General Director Tran Mai Huong said the agreement was in accordance with bilateral cooperative ties. It also helps VNA to increase effectiveness of information in French language through its services.

The embassy’s support for the sole French-language daily in Vietnam , Le Courrier du Vietnam, will help the paper gain a stronger position among French-speaking readers, the VNA chief said.

General Director Huong thanked the Embassy and Ambassador Jean-Francois Girault for their interests in the VNA’s publications services and promoting close ties between the two sides.

Ambassador Jean-Francois Girault said the agreement was a result of long-term cooperation between VNA and the Embassy, describing it as a foundation for bilateral durable relations and long-term cooperation in order to increase information and mutual understanding between Vietnam and France .

Through the agreement, the embassy will provide VNA with France-related information to VNA publications services, particularly Le Courrier du Vietnam daily, Vietnam Plus online newspaper and French-language TV programme, which is expected to be launched on VNA TV channel, contributing to greater vitality for the French-speaking community, the ambassador added.

Under the agreement, apart from providing France-related information, the Embassy will help seek partners for VNA services such as Le Courrier du Vietnam, VNA TV channel, Vietnam Pictorial magazine, and the News for Foreign Service Department.

The embassy will also help promote Le Courrier du Vietnam to agencies of France and the Francophonie in Vietnam as well as French-speaking organisations and institutions.

In addition, the embassy will create favourable conditions in granting scholarships for media and language courses for VNA journalists, particularly those from Le Courrier du Vietnam.

VNA will use France-related information in different areas on all VNA services and increase its coverage of French Embassy activities as well as French agencies in Vietnam./.