A seminar chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday centered on an approach to phase out coal-fired power, featuring the participation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The discussion, themed ‘Speed up Clean Energy Transition,’ was held on the sidelines of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The seminar highlighted the significance of ending the reliance on coal power, and accelerating renewable energy transition.

Speaking at the event, PM Chinh said that it was high time to switch to clean power while ensuring economic development and energy security.

The Vietnamese government leader underscored that Vietnam would quickly build a legal framework and complete mechanisms for its shift to clean energy.

The top Vietnamese official expressed his gratitude to the G7 countries, including France, for helping Vietnam during its energy transition journey, mainly through the implementation of a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

PM Chinh also called on Vietnam’s partners to provide Vietnam with financial support, advanced technology, and human training to speed up its efforts in the clean energy transition.

Responding to his call, the leaders of France, the United States, and the European Commission affirmed that they would accompany Vietnam on this important journey.

Speaking at a meeting with the French president on the same day, PM Chinh lauded the Vietnam - France strategic partnership over the past 10 years, expecting the two nations to keep boosting bilateral cooperation.

The Vietnamese prime minister hinted at quickly deploying cooperative plans endorsed by Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and French President Macron during their phone talks on October 20.

Notably, the two nations should ramp up all-level delegation and people-to-people exchanges, and deepen partnership in trade, investment, defense, education, innovation, digitalization, green transition, and science-technology, PM Chinh said.

Vietnam expected France to actively help it preserve historical relics to promote its cultural values and to step up the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), he underlined.

French President Macron highly valued the potential for the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

He said that some French ministers would be sent to Vietnam in the coming time to work with the Vietnamese side to foster partnership in the economic, commercial, and investment aspects.

President Macron appreciated Vietnam’s efforts in implementing the JETP political declaration, affirming that the French government would stay on the Southeast Asian country’s side during the journey.

PM Chinh arrived in the UAE early Friday morning (Vietnam time) to attend the COP28 and other activities at the invitation of the UAE government.

His trip was scheduled to wrap up on Sunday.

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