General Secretary and President To Lam attended and spoke at the meeting on reforming multilateralism (Photo: Tri Dung / VNA)

Addressing a session on reformed multilateralism, the Vietnamese leader affirmed the unreplaceable role of multilateral mechanisms and highlighted contributions by the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) to settling the issues of shared concern of the international community, as well as to building frameworks and principles on emerging issues.

To uphold the role of multilateralism, he emphasized the necessity to connect it with major transition processes, particularly digital transformation and green transition. The Francophone community should also adapt to this trend and assist members to improve their technological capacity, develop clean energy, and successfully realize the Sustainable Development Goals. Science and technology form the key for the community to make breakthroughs in the future.

Meanwhile, to improve the efficiency of multilateral institutions, including the OIF, Lam pointed out the importance of promoting reforms to respond to swift changes of the world situation and the Francophone space.

He suggested the Francophone community carry out reforms in a way that focuses more on its members’ priorities, especially in terms of economic cooperation and coordination to implement the documents of the Summit of the Future.

Multilateralism is successful only when its inclusiveness, comprehensiveness, and centre on people, especially the young, are guaranteed, he continued, calling on the Francophone community to keep bolstering people-to-people, cultural, and educational exchange programmes in the French language so as to maintain a beautiful language linking Francophone members, thereby spreading the results of the community’s cooperation to all people.

The 19th Francophonie Summit wrapped up on the same day, with the adoption of several important documents, including the Villers-Cotterêts declaration, a resolution on the political system and consolidation of peace in the Francophone space and statement of solidarity with Lebanon.