(VOVworld) – A ceremony was held at the Hanoi Opera House on Friday to mark International Francophone Day. Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc reviewed Vietnam’s social, economic, and cultural developments in 2015, which marked an important step in relations between Vietnam and the French speaking community. He said: “Vietnam attaches importance to developing cooperation with the French speaking community while contributing to the global effort for peace and development. This is part of Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification of relations, and active international integration. Vietnam is a reliable friend and partner in the French speaking community and will do what it can to boost Vietnam-France cooperation.”

Eric-Normand Thibeault,  Director for Asia and Pacific of International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) praised Vietnam’s commitment to the French speaking community and pledged to foster cooperation with Vietnam.

President of the French National Assembly Claude Bartolone attended a similar ceremony at the Hanoi University on Saturday.