This morning, the Francophone Parliamentary Cooperation Forum on sustainable agriculture, food security and climate change response opened in Can Tho City with the participation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.
The Francophone Parliamentary Cooperation Forum on Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate Change Response was convened by the Vietnamese National Assembly during the Conference of the Executive Board of the Francophone Parliamentary Union (APF) in Can Tho City.
In his opening speech, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man warmly welcomed the leaders of the Francophone Parliamentary Union member parliaments, delegations of member parliaments and observers, and invited guests attending the forum.
Vietnam proposed the initiative and expressed sincere gratitude to the APF and its members for their support in organizing the forum.
The National Assembly Chairman highlighted that after nearly 40 years of implementing the renovation process, Vietnam has attained significant and historic achievements. The country has made remarkable progress in sustainable poverty reduction and new rural development, emerging as a standout example in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In 2024, Vietnam witnessed many impressive achievements. Economic growth reached 7.09 percent, economic scale reached about US$470 billion while inflation was controlled below 4 percent. Moreover, total import-export turnover recorded a record of about $800 billion and foreign investment attraction approximated $40 billion including realized FDI capital about $25 billion. Last but not least, major balances of the economy were ensured, the macro economy was maintained stable.
The Southeast Asian country has so far established diplomatic relations with 193 countries and is an active member of nearly 70 regional and international organizations. Vietnam is one of the 33 economies with the largest GDP in the world, the top 20 economies in terms of trade, the top 15 economies in terms of FDI attraction, the top 46 countries in the world in terms of innovation index, becoming an important link in the trade of Southeast Asia in particular and the world in general.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of National Day, Vietnam is prepared to embark on a new era of growth and oriented to a prosperous nation, a strong and powerful state, a democratic and equitable society, and a highly civilized nation.
The forum aims to promote cooperation between countries in the Francophone community to build sustainable agriculture, ensure livelihoods for each household and food security for each country, along with responding to climate change globally.
The National Assembly Chairman expects the forum to be an opportunity to discuss initiatives to promote cooperation among stakeholders, including countries, international organizations, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector towards the set goals.
The successful attainment of these goals necessitates a collaborative effort involving multiple stakeholders.
One of the highlights of the forum is the anticipated endorsement of the Can Tho Declaration, which focuses on enhancing Francophone collaboration in the areas of sustainable agriculture, food security, and climate change adaptation.
The National Assembly Chairman said that the adoption of this declaration will prove the crucial role played by Francophone parliaments and their invaluable contributions in addressing global challenges. This declaration will also serve to promote effective regional, inter-regional, and multi-stakeholder cooperation, facilitating the translation of commitments into tangible and measurable outcomes.
