Participants at 12th Conference on Việt Nam-France’s Decentralised Co-operation in Hà Nội on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — France has always been a leading important partner on the path of development, international integration, and foreign policy of Việt Nam, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang told the 12th Conference on Việt Nam-France’s Decentralised Cooperation in Hà Nội on Friday.

Quang said that France is one of Việt Nam’s leading European trade, investment and non-refundable aid partners.

Quang said the Việt Nam-France decentralised cooperation conference is not only an important channel to promote cooperation between localities and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries but also a unique feature in that France is the only country that Việt Nam has a decentralised cooperation mechanism with a national scale.

The Deputy PM hopes that the conference will bring out many highly feasible proposals and solutions, thereby opening up new opportunities and cooperation projects for the localities contributing to elevating the strategic partnership between the two countries better to meet the aspirations and interests of the two people.

With the theme: "The driving force for sustainable and comprehensive recovery and development after the COVID-19 pandemic", this year’s conference aims to promote stronger cooperation among Vietnamese and French localities in the post-COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference, which was participated by representatives from 50 Vietnamese and 12 French localities, also discussed difficulties and challenges and offered solutions to promote and implement the policy of cooperative relations and linkages, as well as established mutually beneficial partnerships to strengthen the existing relationship and expand new partnerships between localities of the two countries.

In the conference, the participants focused on four topics: sustainable cities; environment, water and water treatment; culture, heritage and tourism; and smart city and digitisation.

Speaking at the conference, Chairman of the Hà Nội’s People Committee Trần Sỹ Thanh said: “Hà Nội is honoured to host the 12th Việt Nam-France Decentralised Cooperation Conference. This is a large-scale event in a series of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnership between Việt Nam and France.”

“Based on the political determination of the leaders of the two countries as well as the local authorities, the two sides will jointly respond and find effective cooperative solutions to current global challenges,” Thanh told the conference.

The conference's content expressed the needs, cooperation goals and determination of the two countries' localities towards mutual development and prosperity, he said.

Meanwhile, the Hà Nội Party Committee’s Secretary Đinh Tiến Dũng said that Việt Nam and France had experienced ups and downs in history and overcame "turns" to become reliable companions.

Cooperation between localities has become a feature and a bright spot in the two countries’ relations, he said.

“Up to now, there have been more than 38 French localities at all levels and 18 provinces and cities of Việt Nam participating in this co-operation mechanism with 240 projects focusing on the fields of economy, education, water and sanitation, heritage conservation, Francophone community, rural development and sustainable development,” Dũng said.

In the video speech to the conference, Gerard Larcher, the President of the Senate, expressed satisfaction with the good cooperation relationship between Việt Nam and France and congratulated the efforts of the two sides’ diverse cooperation in the fields of arts, science, heritage, investment, health care, climate change response, scientific research and new technology.

Larcher said that both countries want peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region for common development goals.

With the theme of this year's celebration being "Sharing Culture", Larcher said that people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation had become a strong foundation for the relationship between Việt Nam and France.

At the conference, the vice mayor of Toulouse, Jean-Claude Dardelet, expressed the honour of becoming a partner with Hà Nội.

For years, the two cities have had many connection activities between agencies of Departments of Foreign Affairs and the French Development Agency to develop specific cooperation projects, said Dardelet.

Since 2004, more and more new topics have been covered at this event with the strong participation of ministries and public-private economic partners, the vice mayor said.

He believed that the 12th conference would achieve further goals and progress. — VNS