French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet (Photo: Nhan Dan)

Vietnam-France friendship, trust fostered over the past years: Ambassador

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet has highlighted the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries during an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the Lunar Year Year (Tet) festival. The friendship and trust have been fostered over the past five decades, he said, elaborating that French President Francois Mitterrand visited Vietnam in 1993, opening up a period during which France has accompanied the Southeast Asian nation.

Recalling the phone talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong on October 20, 2023, the ambassador said the two sides displayed their resolve and goodwill to enhance the bilateral strategic partnership in the coming tenures.

The strategic partnership should grow based on respect for the friendship and national sovereignty, he noted. France wishes to help Vietnam in sustainable development, especially in the context that Vietnam is a country hard hit by climate change, he said, calling it a priority of France in the bilateral ties. Mentioning the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), the diplomat said France has committed 500 million EUR (538.92 million USD) to the Southeast Asian nation in this field.

According to Brochet, innovation will be a cooperation priority of the two countries in the coming time, and Franche can share its technology and experience with Vietnam in this regard.

The ambassador also underlined cooperation between localities, which is growing strongly with tens of projects underway. He said climate change response, energy transition, and innovation are among the cooperation priorities in his term in Vietnam, apart from economic collaboration, particularly through the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Noting the great potential for the economic ties, he said it is seen in different areas, including energy, pharmaceuticals, medical products, and the food industry.

For people-to-people exchange, Brochet said it serves as a foundation for the bilateral diplomatic ties, adding French people want to learn about Vietnam, and in their eyes, Vietnam is very beautiful. Tourism remains an important channel of cooperation, as reflected by the high number of French visitors to the Southeast Asian nation last year, according to the ambassador.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, Brochet wished Vietnamese people prosperity and success, and that the friendship and cooperation between the two countries will grow further in the time ahead.

Nearly 362,000 tourists are expected to visit Da Nang city during the Tet holiday. (Photo: VNA)

Localities welcome the first tourists during the Lunar New Year

The Da Nang International Airport in the central city of the same name welcomed more than 125 domestic and international flights carrying over 17,000 passengers on February 10, the first day of the Year of the Dragon. The airport served 53 international flights with some 7,500 passengers abroad on the day. Up to 894 domestic and international flights are expected to arrive at the airport during the seven-day holiday, beginning February 8, up about 16% year-on-year. The municipal Department of Tourism, the airport, the Da Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation JSC, and air carriers jointly held a ceremony to welcome the first holidaymakers.

On the same day, the central city welcomed the first international cruise ships in the lunar year with more than 1,800 passengers. Last year, the city served 22 cruise ships with more than 18,000 passengers. The numbers are expected to reach over 45 and more than 50,000 this year, respectively. Nearly 362,000 tourists hoped to visit the city during the holiday, a rise of 23% from the corresponding time last year, including 172,000 international and 190,000 domestic.

The northern province of Quang Ninh, home to UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay, also welcomed the first group of nearly 300 visitors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to the heritage on the day.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria and Senegal Tran Quoc Khanh presents a letter of credentials from President Vo Van Thuong to Senegalese President Macky Sall (Photo: VNA)

Senegal ready to cooperate with Vietnam in responding to global challenges

Senegalese President Macky Sall affirmed that the African country is ready to cooperate with other countries in general and Vietnam in particular in responding to global challenges such as health crises, climate change, regional conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and terrorism.

Speaking after receiving the letter of credentials from President Vo Van Thuong presented by Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria and Senegal Tran Quoc Khanh, President Macky Sall warmly welcomed and hoped the Vietnamese diplomat would make contributions to the development of the relationship between Senegal and Vietnam in the coming time. Khanh affirmed he would do his utmost to enhance the traditional bilateral relations, especially in areas where the two countries have strengths such as agriculture, marine economy, trade as well as people-to-people exchange.

Trade relations between Vietnam and Senegal have reaped fruit in recent years, reaching approximately 70 million USD a year. Vietnam’s exports to Senegal include pepper, cereals, vegetables, textiles, seafood, and rice; while its imports were cashew nuts, cotton, seafood, and animal feed from the African country.

Currently, there are about 2,000 Vietnamese people who are living and doing business in Senegal. Kim Hoi, an organization of the Vietnamese community in Senegal, was established in 2016 and has conducted many diverse activities to spread the image of Vietnam and its culture in the country. Meanwhile, the Vovinam Federation in Senegal is thriving with more than 3,000 martial artists across the country, serving as an important bridge to introduce to the Senegalese people the quintessence of martial arts and the philosophy of peace of Vietnamese people.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis. (Photo: VGP)

Vietnam plays an important role in the UN's recognition of the Lunar New Year

Vietnam is one of 12 countries to have participated in the campaign to pass a resolution recognizing the Lunar New Year as a floating holiday, with the country playing an important role in the recognition and respect of the whole world for this special holiday. Talking about why the UN recognized the Lunar New Year as an international holiday and how the new UN Resolution will bring about changes, Tamesis said the UN represents our diverse world and serves the common aspirations of all peoples. The foundation of the UN's mission is to create a world of equality, justice, and peace.

On December 22, 2023, the UN General Assembly passed resolution 78/245, recognizing the significance of the Lunar New Year as a celebration across many member states. This resolution calls on UN agencies, especially headquarters and representative offices in countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year, to limit meeting arrangements and pay attention to scheduling work in the future. By recognizing the Lunar New Year as a public holiday, the UN honors the cultural diversity of its members. Embracing the richness of cultures and traditions will also strengthen understanding and ties between countries.

Vietnam is one of the 12 nations participating in the coordination process at the UN to get the above resolution passed. Assessing the Vietnamese role in promoting initiatives that respect civilizational and cultural diversity as well as international exchange and cooperation, Tamesis said that on August 10 last year, diplomats and the heads of delegations of 12 countries, including Vietnam, signed a joint letter sent to the UN to support the inclusion of the Lunar New Year in the UN’s annual holiday calendar.

Asked about her assessment of the performance of UN agencies and UN cooperation projects in Vietnam over the past year, Tamesis said that the country has achieved remarkable progress in terms of economics, poverty reduction, and improvement in social indicators.

Since 2019, that country has seen a high level of human development, with the Human Development Index (HDI) increasing from 0.68% in 2016 to more than 0.7% in 2021. The multidimensional poverty rate plummeted to 3.6% in 2022 from 9% in 2016, with this being an impressive achievement. A total of 92% of people have health insurance. As of 2022, the unemployment rate had decreased to 2.32%, reaching the target set in the nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). Along with these numbers, the UN also appreciates the commitment and dedication of the Vietnamese people, the visionary leadership of the Government, and the solidarity of the international donor community. All of these factors play an important role in the country’s remarkable growth and progress.

However, there are still several challenges. Therefore, in the new year, the UN has set several priorities in its cooperation efforts with Vietnam to support the country in overcoming these barriers. ​This includes supporting the Government and people in adapting to climate change, whilst also promoting digital transformation, energy, food, social protection, sustainable employment, and biodiversity to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs.

Concerning notable programs and projects in Vietnam, the UN officially stated that moving forward they will continue to support Vietnam in achieving its SDGs. Vietnam has committed to investing in growth innovation models, leaving no one behind, thereby ensuring access to jobs and social protection, health, education, and culture. This is along with equitable energy transition, biodiversity and natural resource protection, climate action, and digital transformation.

With these commitments, the UN will continue to support the Government in the National Action Plan aimed at implementing SDGs, creating favorable conditions for dialogue, cooperation, and mobilization of financial, technical, and knowledge resources to carry out the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, Tamesis also wished the Vietnamese people a new year with good health, happiness, and prosperity, while expressing her hope that the country will achieve all SDGs as a way of promoting an integrated society whilst leaving no one behind.

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