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| New French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet met the press on October 3 in Hanoi. (Photo: NV) |
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The new French Ambassador Olivier Brochet commented that the France-Vietnam relationship is “very special”. That specialness is reflected in the fact that the people of the two countries have had a very long-standing relationship, having experienced many ups and downs in history, but in any historical period, both sides have the desire to understand and share with each other.
Ambassador Olivier Brochet said that Vietnam and France have cooperated closely in recent times. In the 1990s, France was one of the first Western countries to invest in Vietnam. Since then, many cooperative relationships have emerged and been fostered, laying a solid foundation for the two countries later on.
Since then, Ambassador Olivier Brochet said that many French cooperation mechanisms have been operating actively, accompanying Vietnam's development goals.
For example, the French Development Agency (AFD) has provided about 2 billion Euros in funding to Vietnam in many fields. To date, France is the second largest European country in terms of investment capital in Vietnam, creating about 50,000 jobs.
In addition, the French Institute in Vietnam also carries out many cultural, linguistic and scholarship activities for Vietnamese students. In terms of education, over the past 30 years, tens of thousands of Vietnamese students have come to France to study. Vietnam is the third country in terms of the number of scholarships in France - estimated at 1.5 million Euros per year. In terms of health, over the past 30 years, France has supported Vietnam in training 3,000 doctors.
In the field of security, France, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has always clearly expressed its support for Vietnam in ensuring security and sovereignty.
Regarding his personal experiences after 3 weeks of working in Vietnam, Ambassador Olivier Brochet said that he had the opportunity to experience new lands such as Mai Chau and Pu Luong, bringing back wonderful impressions to start a new journey for the coming years.
This year, the Ambassador shared that he will also travel to Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and especially to Hue to participate in a special light festival, marking a brilliant end to the year celebrating the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-France relations.
Ambassador Olivier Brochet attached special importance to cultural cooperation between the two countries. Over the past time, cultural cooperation between the two countries has developed in depth, reaching the stage of technology transfer and methods of organizing cultural events. The two sides have increased in-depth exchanges between experts in this field.
According to the new Ambassador, with similar approaches, depth and uniqueness, Vietnam and France share the same desire to preserve their cultural identities. France has a policy of promoting diversity instead of homogenizing cultural models, considering culture as an environment for partners to meet and exchange, opening up new, constructive values, for a better world.
Combating climate change is a top priority
Sharing with reporters, Ambassador Olivier Brochet highlighted four specific priorities during his term in Vietnam. Specifically:
The first is to strengthen cooperation to combat climate change, maintain biodiversity, and move towards sustainable development.
According to Ambassador Olivier Brochet, for France, one of the mechanisms that specifically demonstrates its commitment is the Equal Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) program, in which France accompanies Vietnam in supporting it on the basis of financial resources with a budget of about 500 million Euros. Initially, France will support Vietnam in having essential infrastructure, so that investors can see the attractiveness and development potential in Vietnam.
The second is to support Vietnam in adapting, building legal standards, and further utilizing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); helping to improve Vietnamese products to meet the standards of the European Union (EU) market, thereby reaching out to the global market.
Third , the Ambassador aims to develop economic relations between France and Vietnam, promoting the best French products to Vietnam, in areas of strength such as aviation, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food processing, etc.
Fourth , strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the international arena, maintain and promote the values that both sides share such as respect for international law and protection of sovereignty; through common forums, contribute to maintaining those values. The Francophone Summit in 2024 will be one of the opportunities for the two sides to exchange in depth and contribute to this common goal.
In 2018, France published an important document in its foreign policy, the Indo-Pacific strategy. In which, ASEAN in general and Vietnam in particular hold a very important position. According to Ambassador Olivier Brochet, France's focus on foreign policy in the region is also a favorable condition for cooperation activities between France and Vietnam in the coming time.
| New French Ambassador Olivier Brochet presented his credentials on September 26, marking the official start of his three-year term in Vietnam. Before taking up his new assignment, he was the General Director of the French Education Agency abroad. |
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