On April 9th, 2025, in Hanoi, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation signed Annex VI of the Technical Cooperation Agreement between the two parties in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Construction of Vietnam, Le Anh Tuan, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Vietnam, Olivier Brochet.
The signing ceremony was attended by leaders from Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, leaders of units under the Ministry of Construction, Thibaut Lallemand, Head of Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania Department, International Cooperation Division, French Directorate General for Civil Aviation, Yannick Malinge, Senior Vice President, Head of Aviation Safety Department at Airbus, and officials and experts from the Embassy of the French Republic to Vietnam, as well as Airbus representatives.
The Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation was signed on May 24, 2018, in Paris, France. To implement this Agreement, since 2019, the two parties have signed 5 Annexes and organized annual executive committee meetings alternately in France and Vietnam to identify necessary support activities. According to the content of the signed Annexes, the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation has actively assisted the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam in enhancing aviation safety oversight capabilities and improving flight operations management.
Scene of the exchange between the two parties.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Olivier Brochet expressed his joy at the strengthening and expansion of the Vietnam-France cooperation, particularly in the aviation sector, over the years. He noted that this cooperation has become a model of strategic partnership between the two nations.
Recalling the positive outcomes of General Secretary and President of Vietnam To Lam's visit to France in 2024, he highlighted the significant consensus reached by the leaders of both countries to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and to sign numerous bilateral cooperation programs. Among these, the aviation sector is identified as a crucial factor in the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and France. Based on this, the upcoming visit of the French President to Vietnam will further enhance the cooperation between the two countries.
Attending the ceremony, Thibaut Lallemand, Head of Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania of the International Cooperation Department of the French Civil Aviation Authority, emphasized the significance and special importance of ensuring aviation safety. He proposed that both sides continue to enhance cooperation to effectively manage the sustainable growth of Vietnam's aviation sector; actively exchange and share experiences to help Vietnam improve its financial capacity and the quality of its aviation safety management personnel.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan welcomed the positive cooperation results between the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction) and French agencies and partners in general, as well as between the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the French Civil Aviation Authority in particular. He especially acknowledged the support provided by the French Civil Aviation Authority to Vietnam in the fields of aviation safety and flight operation management.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation have signed a cooperation agreement in the presence of Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan and Ambassador Olivier Brochet.
“The positive results of cooperation between the two parties are not only limited in the aviation sector between the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the French Civil Aviation Authority, but are also extended to many collaborative initiatives at the ministerial level. This reflects the increasingly substantive and in-depth collaboration between the two sides, especially in the field of aviation,” emphasized Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan.
In the context of the two countries upgrading their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan urged the the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation to continue coordinating with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to effectively implement the Technical Cooperation Agreement between the two parties; support the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam in enhancing the capacity of airport safety oversight staff; provide technical assistance for assessing runway conditions; collaborate in organizing specialized workshops; conduct training courses to improve the quality of human resources; and facilitate the operations of airlines from both countries.
On the occasion of having leaders from Airbus Group attending the ceremony, Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan asked Airbus and Vietnam Airlines to establish a working program soon in achieving an agreement on aircraft provision in the near future; and support the prompt return to normal operations for Vietnamese aircraft that require assistance.
Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan thanked Ambassador Olivier Brochet and the French Embassy to Vietnam for their active support to the Ministry of Construction in recent times and expressed his desire for continued effective cooperation and assistance from the Ambassador and the French Embassy in the future.
Translator: Phương Nhi