Vietnam, Belgium’s Wallonia-Brussels sign cooperation document for 2025-27 period
Vietnam and Belgium's Wallonie-Bruxelles on November 19 signed the minutes of cooperation for the 2025-27 period, marking a milestone in bilateral relations.
Representatives from Vietnam and Belgium's Wallonie-Bruxelles at the signing of the minutes of cooperation for the 2025-27 period. (Photo: VNA)
Brussels (VNA) – Vietnam and Belgium's Wallonie-Bruxelles on November 19 signed the minutes of cooperation for the 2025-27 period, marking a milestone in bilateral relations.
The signing is an important outcome of the 12th meeting of the permenant joint committee between the Government of Vietnam and the French-speaking community of Belgium (Wallonie-Bruxelles), the Wallonia region and the French Community Commission (COCOF) in the Brussels Capital Region. The November 18-19 meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong, General Director of Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI) Pascale Delcomminette. Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao attended the event.
Under the document, the cooperation programme, with 17 projects, will focus on common goals in priority areas, such as healthcare, environmental protection, logistics, human resource training, sustainable agriculture, French teaching, international law, climate change adaptation, and innovation research.
At the meeting, Delcomminette and Phuong highly valued the results that two sides have achieved in human resources training, applied research and industrial development.
According to statistics on the cooperation programme for the 2022-24 period, the two sides have made 184 working trips, including 143 by Belgian experts to Vietnam and 41 by Vietnamese experts to Belgium. In particular, the programme has granted 194 scholarships for Vietnamese students, lecturers, researchers and staff. Up to two-thirds of the scholarship recipients are women, of which more than half of the scholarships are dedicated to research๊, supporting the goals and activities of the projects in the programme./.
Director General of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vu Viet Trang on August 28 had a meeting with a delegation from the Governments of the French-Speaking Community of Belgium (Wallonie-Bruxelles) and the Walloon Region in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh City wishes to strengthen cooperation with the French-speaking community of Belgium (Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles) in potential fields such as clean energy, biology, health, education; digital transformation, and high-tech agriculture, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ngo Minh Chau has told a Belgian official.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son has hailed the support of the French Community of Belgium (Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles) for Vietnam in general and the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry in particular over the past 25 years through projects in various fields.
Vietnam is deeply concerned about the escalating and complex conflict in the Middle East, which poses a serious threat to the lives and safety of civilians, as well as to regional and global peace and stability.
The Vietnamese Embassy advises the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Israel to strictly comply with directions from the Home Front Command and local authorities.
Lawmakers are set to vote on revisions and amendments to a broad spectrum of legal frameworks and impactful resolutions during the final week of the 15th NA's 9th session.
The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOVA) has served as a bridge connecting and uniting the community with the homeland, becoming a trusted source of support for Vietnamese expats in times of hardship.
The programme to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses has achieved notable results, with nearly 263,000 housing units addressed to date, including 225,000 houses inaugurated and 38,000 under construction. Thirty-eight provinces and cities across the nation have already fulfilled their targets.
Stronger efforts and determination are required to achieve and surpass the set targets, especially in the eradication of makeshift and dilapidated houses nationwide, the acceleration of public investment disbursement, and the implementation of nationally important transport projects, PM Pham Minh Chinh noted.
The trip will be made at the invitations of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and WEF President and CEO Børge Brende, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Long spoke highly of the dynamic, positive, and comprehensive development of Vietnam – Russia relations in recent years. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State place great importance on further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia in a substantive and effective manner, in line with the development needs of both nations.
At the conference, participants reported that the Government has so far issued 28 decrees on the delegation of responsibilities and powers between the central Government and two-tier local administrations. Several localities have already piloted the new governance model.
Reality is the ultimate benchmark for success, he said, urging drafting agencies to work out policies that foster development, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and respect practical conditions.
Under the official dispatch signed on June 20, ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and chairpersons of provincial and municipal People’s Committees are requested to concentrate efforts on implementing core measures to ensure the smooth operations of the new administrative framework.
The Party chief underscored the need for the press to innovate relentlessly, evolve to keep pace with the country's development, transform into a truly professional, humanistic, and modern sector that serves the cause of the Party, the State, and the people on the path to national construction and development.
The UN Secretary-General praised Vietnam’s remarkable achievements in socio-economic development and international integration in recent years, noting that the country has emerged as a model in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting international peace and security, and engaging in key UN processes.
Nghia affirmed that this is a milestone of special significance, affirming and honouring the the Vietnamese revolutionary press’s glorious tradition of 100 years of serving the revolutionary cause of the Party, serving the Fatherland, and serving the people.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
