Dak Lak province and France’s Nevers city set up cooperation - a new step in local cooperation between Vietnam and France

The Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in France held a signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation (MOU) between the People’s Committee of Dak Lak province and the Government of Nevers city (France) on December 10, 2024.

The MOU aims to set up friendship and collaboration between Dak Lak and Nevers in the fields of Cultural Exchange, Information Technology, Urban Management, Health and Agriculture. Its main contents focus on: cultural exchange, preservation and promotion of cultural values; experience sharing in IT development, communications and digital transformation; urban planning; healthcare professional development, especially in hematology, hemodialysis, oncology, cardiovascular intervention; high-technology agricultural production and promoting agricultural products.

Chairman of Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee Pham Ngoc Nghi (on the right) and Mayor of Nevers City Denis Thuriot sign the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation (Photo: VNA).

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Pham Ngoc Nghi said that Dak Lak province, located in the heart of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, has a natural area of ​​over 13,000 km2 with about 50% of the area being red basalt soil, very suitable for growing fruit trees and high-value industrial trees. He emphasized that Dak Lak is an attractive destination for culture and eco-tourism, with beautiful natural landscapes; great potential for agriculture and investment. With a proud history, the province has clearly defined the goal that by 2030, Dak Lak province will “basically become a regional center, a province with rapid and sustainable economic and social development in the Central Highlands, towards industrialization and modernization”.

The head of Dak Lak’s government hopes that the MOU will be the basis for two localities to cooperate in areas of economy, manufacturing industry, renewable energy, environment and believes that, with the goodwill of both sides, the MOU will be implemented effectively and make contributions to developing the Vietnam - France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a more substantive and effective manner.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor of Nevers Denis Thuriot assessed that Vietnam is a comprehensively developing country. According to Mr. Denis Thuriot, through teaching and research, the two sides can exchange trainees in the medical field. He stated that some Vietnamese doctors who had completed training in France and achieved French proficiency have come back to work in Vietnam.

In addition, Mr. Nguyen Thien Van, Vice Chairman of Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee, said that Dak Lak is the fourth largest province in Vietnam, with abundant labor resources of more than 1.1 million people and strengths in agriculture with key products such as coffee, cocoa, pepper, durian, etc. The province also has many opportunities for cooperation and development of renewable energy which is suitable to the strengths of Nevers city.

The Vice Chairman believes that on the basis of the signed MOU, the authorities and businesses of the two sides will have exchanges and coordinate to implement cooperation activities on the basis of mutual benefit.

Dak Lak province delegation and Nevers city representative at the MOU signing ceremony (Photo: VNA).

On this occasion, a Cooperation Agreement was also inked between the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Health and Nevers City Hospital, focusing on training and sharing experiences in diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and thoracic diseases, oncology, hematology, hemodialysis, etc.; sharing information about international medical events; organizing exchange programs between medical staff; implementing charitable activities.

After the signing ceremony, Dak Lak delegation will visit the Institute of Automotive and Transport Engineering in Nevers and the Inkub Agora Business Center for Startup and Innovation Support. These are two prestigious training institutions in France, playing an important role in creating strengths in the mechanical industry as well as digital transformation and innovation in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.

Lai My