Deputy PM meets leader of French development agency

June 22,h1 anh 2023 - 12:18 Your browser does not support the audio element. Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà met with Deputy CEO of the French Development Agency (AFD) Marie Helene Loison in Paris to talk shop on climate change, economic integration and sustainable development.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà (right) meets Deputy CEO of the French Development Agency (AFD) Marie Helene Loison in Paris. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thu Hà

PARIS — Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà met with Deputy CEO of the French Development Agency (AFD) Marie Helene Loison in Paris on Wednesday, during his working trip to France to attend the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact.

Hà lauded the idea of French President Emmanuel Macron to organise the summit to seek new public and private financial sources, contributing to promoting financial sector development and the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

He expressed delight at positive developments in Việt Nam-France relations, especially in trade and economics, one of the key pillars in the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The official spoke highly of the role that the AFD has played in effectively implementing development aid projects in Việt Nam since 1994, especially in the fields of energy, climate change and urban transport.

Hà proposed that the AFD continue to support and promote cooperation with Việt Nam in projects for emission reduction and climate change response, particularly in coastal areas and the Mekong Delta region.

For her part, Loison held that Hà's participation in the summit shows Việt Nam’s strong commitment and responsibility in joining the international community’s climate change response efforts.

She discussed with him cooperation between the AFD and Việt Nam, especially on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Việt Nam-France diplomatic relations and 30 years of partnership between the AFD and Việt Nam.

She affirmed that the agency will continue to conduct research programmes on climate change impacts on local socio-economic development (GEMMES) while supporting Việt Nam in strengthening policy building and technology transfer, as well as providing financial assistance in green energy development, renewable energy, smart power transmission, and green fuel production.

The two sides agreed to further promote cooperation in energy transition, especially in the context that Việt Nam gave strong commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and joined the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP).

They also agreed to continue close coordination in implementing economic projects serving sustainable development in Việt Nam. — VNS