Under the theme “Reinvesting in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Lasting Stability,” the summit gives the Francophone Community an opportunity to strengthen solidarity, exchange views and identify priorities for future cooperation. These include peace, sustainable development, multilateralism, economic cooperation, education, language and culture, digital transformation, and responses to global challenges.
For the Asia-Pacific, the summit marks the return of the Francophonie’s highest-level meeting to the Asia-Pacific nearly 30 years after the successful seventh summit in Ha Noi in 1997. The adoption of the Francophonie Charter and the creation of the post of secretary-general at that meeting were milestones in the community’s development. This year’s summit in Phnom Penh reflects the growing importance the Francophone Community attaches to the Asia-Pacific’s role and development. It also gives Viet Nam, Cambodia and other members in the region a chance to demonstrate their commitment and play a greater role in Francophone cooperation.
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General Secretary and President To Lam (Photo: VNA) |
With a combined population of about 1.4 billion and a share of 16.5 percent of global GDP and about 20 percent of world trade, the Francophone Community, formally the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), has gained standing and influence on global issues. The OIF has worked to find solutions to conflicts, mediate disputes, support democratic processes, strengthen the rule of law and good governance, and advance strategies, programs and joint initiatives. These efforts cover the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, gender equality, wider use and teaching of French, and cultural and linguistic diversity.
Over nearly 50 years in the Francophone Community, Viet Nam has played an active and responsible role and made a substantive contribution to its development. It regularly provides ideas, resources and personnel, including at the management level, to the OIF and its implementing bodies. The OIF is an important forum for Viet Nam to pursue its policy of multilateralizing and diversifying its external relations and engaging actively in international integration. Through the organization, Viet Nam reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism and its solidarity and friendship with Francophone partners, while protecting and advancing its national interests and raising its international standing and profile. Membership also opens opportunities in the economy, trade, investment, science, technology, digital transformation, education and training, sustainable development, and cultural exchange. In turn, the OIF values Viet Nam’s role and contribution and regards it as a key member in the Asia-Pacific. Viet Nam hosts the OIF’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office and the Regional Francophone Center for Asia and the Pacific (CREFAP).
Against this backdrop, the participation of General Secretary and President To Lam in the summit is an opportunity to set out Viet Nam’s foreign policy, approach to international integration and development priorities following the 14th National Party Congress. It is also an opportunity to highlight the country’s socioeconomic achievements and its ambitions and vision for the next stage of development. As an active and responsible participant in multilateral forums, Viet Nam is entering a new phase of development and is ready to share its experience with reform and national development, particularly in poverty reduction, agriculture and sustainable development. It seeks to make a substantive and effective contribution to the joint efforts of the Francophone Community and the wider international community.
Beyond setting out those priorities, the trip reaffirms Viet Nam’s commitment at the highest level to the Francophone Community’s development and to solidarity and friendship with its Francophone partners. Viet Nam supports the community’s work to advance shared goals of solidarity, dialogue, peace, cooperation and sustainable development. By supporting Cambodia as host of the 20th Francophonie Summit, Viet Nam seeks to help strengthen the international role and standing of Cambodia and other Asia-Pacific countries within the Francophone Community.
Translated by Minh Anh