HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam wants the Francophone community to promote economic co-operation, aside from linguistic and cultural diversity, among its member countries, President Trần Đại Quang told Mechaelle Jean, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), yesterday. 
At a reception in Hà Nội, President Quang said enhancing solidarity and co-operation among the OIF member countries was of great importance. 
At the seventh Francophonie Summit in Hà Nội in 1997, Việt Nam initiated and, along with other OIF members, highlighted the importance of fostering economic partnership among Francophone countries. This was an important factor that helps to strengthen solidarity and co-operation and meets the member nations’ expectations, he noted. 
He emphasised that his country supported the Secretary-General’s efforts to promote the implementation of the Economic Strategy for La Francophonie, approved in 2014. It also believes that under the leadership of Mechaelle Jean, the OIF will have an increasing stature in the international community and substantially assist its members’ sustainable development. 
Việt Nam was committed to actively contributing to the OIF’s common efforts, and it was ready to act as a bridge linking the organisation and the ASEAN countries, he added. 
The President will lead a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam to the 16th Francophonie Summit, themed “Shared growth and responsible development: conditions for stability around the world and within La Francophonie”, slated for this November in Madagascar and will deliver a speech sharing the country’s viewpoints and experience to join hands with the OIF countries in achieving this goal. 
Việt Nam wanted more co-operation with and assistance from the OIF and its members, Quang said, asking Mechaelle Jean and the OIF countries to support Việt Nam’s candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council in the 2020-21 tenure, and its candidacy for the posts of UNESCO Director-General and member of the International Law Commission in the 2017-21 tenure. 
For her part, OIF Secretary-General Mechaelle Jean spoke highly of Việt Nam’s accomplishments in socio-economic development and international integration. 
The OIF is bound to carry out a business incubator model in Asia-Pacific and increase support for start-ups, among others. She hoped that as an example of socio-economic development in the region, Việt Nam would continue playing its role in connectivity to help bring about prosperity for all member countries, she said. 
She also valued Việt Nam’s approach to co-operation with African nations, which is solidarity together with co-operation for people’s interests and community responsibility. This approach completely suits the upcoming summit’s theme “Shared growth and responsible development.” 
Recognising its contributions to the OIF, Mechaelle Jean said together with participating in new free trade agreements, and expanding co-operation and investment in other countries, Việt Nam would contribute greatly to the development of the Francophone community. — VNS