Egyptian President’s visit to mark new milestone in bilateral ties
VOV.VN - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s visit to Vietnam is regarded as an important milestone in Vietnam-Egypt cooperation, which will help reinforce the traditional partnership between the two countries in a multitude of fields.
The September 6-7 visit at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang, will be the first made by a State leader of Egypt to Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 1, 1963.
Egypt was one of the first Arabian countries that set up relations with Vietnam. Vietnam opened a trade representative office in Egypt in 1958, and its embassy in Cairo in 1963. In 1964, Egypt launched its embassy in Hanoi.
Over the past years, Egypt has greatly valued Vietnam’s stance on issues related to the Arabian world, especially the Middle East peace process.
The Egyptian government has supported Vietnam in the evacuations of workers in Libya in 2011 and 2014. Both sides have coordinated closely and offered mutual support at international forums, while sharing viewpoints on various issues at the United Nations.
At the eighth political consultations at Deputy Foreign Ministerial level in Cairo in May 2015, Egypt pledged to provide technical assistance to Vietnam, making it possible for Vietnam to issue Halal certificates of food for Islamic markets.
Egypt has been the second largest trade partner of Vietnam in Africa, with two-way trade reaching US$316 million in 2016. Vietnam exported seafood, automobile spare parts, fabric, black peppercorn, coffee, rubber and other consumer goods to Egypt and imported mainly chemicals, oil products, milk and dairy products, and fibres.
Egypt is the first North African country to recognize Vietnam’s full market economy in November 2013. The country is running two projects in Vietnam’s Tay Ninh and Khanh Hoa provinces with a combined capital of US$750,000.
The Egyptian Government annually offered 12 scholarships in Arabian language to Vietnam. The two sides have regularly exchanged information in inspection and culture. The Vietnam-Egypt Friendship Parliamentarian Group was also set up.
There is high hope that the visit of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will make bilateral cooperation grow more effectively and extensively, while giving cooperation opportunities in trade, agriculture, culture and tourism.