Vietnamese, French port cities set up cooperative, friendly ties

Paris, October 8 (VNA) – Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Tran Nam Hung and Mayor of Le Havre Édouard Philippe have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework of cooperation and friendship between the two port cities.

Under the agreement signed in the northwestern French city of Le Havre, Vietnam’s central coastal city of Da Nang and Le Havre are committed to strengthening collaboration in economy, logistics, urban and port planning, innovation, higher education, and tourism, with a focus on promoting and leveraging their cultural, artistic, and historical heritage.

As a city recognised as a “smart port city,” Le Havre will share its expertise in port management and digital transformation with Da Nang, which is developing a modern deep-water port and aims to become a leading regional maritime and logistics hub.

In the field of innovation, businesses and organisations from Le Havre, including Soget, Towt, Logivet France, and Seafrigo, have pledged to enhance cooperation through knowledge sharing, technological exchange, and green innovation, supporting both cities’ ecological transition and sustainable development.

Regarding higher education, the two cities seek to expand their current academic partnerships. Over the past two years, their universities have maintained active cooperation through student exchanges and joint research programmes in maritime and port studies. Each year, some 20 Vietnamese students apply to study at the University of Le Havre.

Following the signing ceremony, the Da Nang delegation held working sessions with businesses, investors in maritime industries, logistics companies, and representatives of local universities. The city’s leaders expressed their intention to strengthen ties with French partners to promote cooperation in industry, trade, innovation, start-ups, and financial centre development.

Earlier during their trip to France, the delegation also visited the Vietnamese Embassy, where they met with Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang and requested continued support in promoting bilateral cooperation and connecting French partners seeking investment opportunities in Da Nang./.