The Vietnamese delegation at the 50th Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF-50). — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hà

PARIS — Việt Nam has upheld its position and active role at the 50th Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF).

The five-day event, which ended on Sunday, took place in Paris, France, with the participation of more than 550 delegates from 59 countries and territories.

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Paris, this year's APF was of special significance, marking the half-century milestone of the organisation's development.

APF President Hilarion Etong emphasised the event’s historical meaning, considering it "a moment of hope, a date of memory and a time of expectation."

The Vietnamese delegation was led by National Assembly Deputy Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Thanh.

Việt Nam is considered a key member of the Francophonie community in the Asia-Pacific region. Since 1997, Chairwoman of the APF's Vietnamese Subcommittee Nguyễn Thuý Anh has been continuously elected to high-level positions.

At the plenary session on Saturday, with the theme ‘Francophonie Community, the fulcrum of a world in crisis’, Anh represented Việt Nam, delivering an important speech expressing Việt Nam's viewpoints and specific proposals, with a message of peace and multilateral cooperation.

Expressing appreciation for the conference’s theme, Anh stated: "In the context of the complicated and unpredictable world situation with tensions, geopolitical conflicts, competition, strategic separation, financial and monetary instability, and food crises, the APF’s discussion is very timely and important."

"Việt Nam continues to support the noble values and goals of the Francophonie Community: peace, democracy, cultural and linguistic diversity, solidarity, cooperation and development. They are also the goals that the Vietnamese State and people are striving to achieve in the current comprehensive renovation process," she said.

Việt Nam also presented three specific proposals to enhance the operational efficiency of the APF and the Francophonie Community.

Regarding reform and adaptation, the Francophonie Community should accelerate reform to adapt to the rapid changes in the world and within the Francophonie space, improve operational efficiency and focus more on the priorities of its members, especially economic cooperation.

As for the role of parliaments in peace, the APF and other inter-parliamentary organisations continue to be forums for parliamentarians to express their views, reflect the aspirations of the people and work together to build and protect a world of solidarity and peace, promoting multilateral cooperation towards sustainable development.

Finally, regarding language and cultural development, the community should promote teaching and training programmes in French, encourage the recruitment of French-speaking personnel and enhance people-to-people, cultural and educational exchanges, thereby strengthening solidarity among nations and ethnic groups.

During the APF plenary sessions, leaders of member countries' parliaments openly discussed challenges and opportunities in a multipolar world.

President of the French National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet gave an inspiring opening speech, emphasising the APF’s political role.

"The current systemic crisis of multilateralism opens up a new opportunity for our alliance, an opportunity to fully grasp our political role, an opportunity to demonstrate that Francophonie is not just a linguistic space but also a positive force for moderation, reconciliation and peace," she said. — VNS