Francophone forum to bolster economic ties

A two-day forum of French-speaking countries in the Asia-Pacific region that opened yesterday targets measures to boost economic co-operation among members as well as a strategy for the community.

In his opening address, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said that the community, with 77 member nations and governments and a combined population of over 800 million, was an important group in dealing with international issues, including economics.


He noted that economic co-operation was among the top priorities that Francophone leaders had inserted into the community's charter, which was approved in Hanoi in 1997.

Anissa Barrak, Asia-Pacific Regional Director of the Francophone International Organisation, noted the growing partnership within the community in several areas including teaching the French language, enhancing scientific research and judicial capacity, creating jobs for the youth, and co-operation among businesses.

She described ASEAN, which has Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand as Francophone members, as an active economic region that can further the community's agenda.

Barrak hoped that the two-day forum would come up with suggestions for formulating a Francophone economic strategy as also measures to boost economic co-operation within the community.