Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh made the above statement at the opening ceremony of the Viet Nam-La Francophonie high-level economic forum jointly held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the OIF in Ha Noi on March 24. 

As a responsible and active member, Viet Nam will continue backing and taking part in efforts of the OIF to promote economic cooperation in favor of prosperity and sustainable development of the Francophone countries, Pham affirmed

Viet Nam has switched to safe and flexible adaptation to and effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic since October 2021 and resumed tourism activities since March 15, 2022 he said. 

The GDP bounced back to 5.22 percent in the fourth quarter of 2021 and the foreign direct investment (FDI) capital inflows reached US$31 billion last year, up 9 percent against 2020. 

Speaking at the event, Secretary-General of the OIF Louise Mushikiwabo praised Viet Nam's role in the Francophone community as one of the founding member countries.

She also hailed Viet Nam as one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The forum, the first-ever of its kind, is part of the ongoing visit to Viet Nam by Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo at the invitation of Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. 

This is also the first official visit made by the head of the OIF to a member country since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Founded in 1970, the OIF now has 88 member states and observers, together accounting for 16 percent of the global GDP and 20 percent of the world's trade volume.

Since its admission to the OIF in 1979, Viet Nam has consistently strengthened partnership with the Francophone community and been an active and core member of the organization in Asia-Pacific. It hosted the Francophone Summit in 1997.