Vietnam’s top leader to visit Mongolia, Ireland, France, attend 19th Francophonie Summit
He makes the visits at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, Irish President Michael D. Higgins and French President Emmanuel Macron, respectively.
He makes the visits at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, Irish President Michael D. Higgins and French President Emmanuel Macron, respectively.
Vietnam and Mongolia established diplomatic relations on Nov. 17, 1954. The upcoming visit of Vietnam’s General Secretary and President will occur during the 70th anniversary of this.
In 2023, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries exceeded US$120 million. Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh conducted a state visit to Vietnam in Nov. 2023.
Vietnam and Ireland initiated diplomatic relations on April 5, 1996. Ireland ranks as Vietnam’s sixth-largest trading partner within the EU market, with bilateral trade nearing US$3.5 billion in 2023 and approximately US$2.2 billion in the first half of the year. Vietnam is one of the nine priority countries receiving development aid from Ireland.
Diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France were established on April 12, 1973, and elevated to a strategic partnership in 2013. France is Vietnam’s fifth-largest trading partner in Europe, with trade volumes reaching US$5.3 billion in 2022 and US$4.8 billion in 2023. France is also the foremost bilateral European ODA donor to Vietnam, which is the second-largest recipient of French ODA in Asia.
The Francophone community comprises 88 countries and territories, including 54 full members from European nations such as France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Switzerland, and African countries like Mali, Morocco, and Cameroon, as well as some Asian countries like Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The community represents about 1.2 billion people, accounting for 16% of global GDP and 20% of global trade. Vietnam hosted the first and only Francophone summit in Asia in 1997.
By Nguyen Tien – Vietnam News Agency – September 28, 2024