French agencies and organizations hope to extend their assistance to Hanoi to solve critical problems facing the city, French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet said on March 5.

Hanoi Mayor Tran Sy Thanh (right) presents French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet with a gift during their meeting on March 5. Photo: The Hanoi Times

At a meeting with the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, Tran Sy Thanh, the French ambassador expressed his hope that  Vietnam-France relations and partnerships would be promoted in all fields, especially in activities in which France is good, such as the preservation of cultural heritage, transport and the environment.

He said the two sides should make extensive efforts to speed up the progress of the Metro Line 3 project, highlighting the completion of the project as the most important milestone in the two nations' diplomatic relations.

Ambassador Olivier Brochet also touched on the development of a new grocery market for Hanoi, the promotion of Hanoi's relations with the Ile-de-France region in the preservation of the Long Bien Bridge, and other activities.

The ambassador said that France will host many major events in 2024, including the 2024 Summer Olympics and the 19th Francophonie Summit of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF).

At the end of the month, the French Embassy in Vietnam and the OIF will launch a program to celebrate International Francophone Day at Thien Quang Lake in Hai Ba Trung District and hold a press conference to present the "A Walk in France" festival.

The ambassador invited Mayor Thanh to attend these events and expected the city authorities to work with the embassy to ensure their organization's success.

He praised Hanoi for its rapid socio-economic growth while preserving local cultures, stressing that the capital is close to his heart.

For his part, Chairman Tran Sy Thanh affirmed that Hanoi's development activities are suitable for French investors and organizations to join.

He said the capital has made progress in its cooperation with French partners.

Thanh hoped that during his tenure in Vietnam, Ambassador Olivier Brochet would continue to connect Hanoi with French units in construction, digital economy, circular economy, smart city building, infrastructure development, and relic and heritage preservation.

He stressed that the city authorities are willing to cooperate with the French Embassy and other French units in organizing cultural and people-to-people exchange activities to promote relations between the two nations and between Hanoi and French localities.