Vietnam, Tunisia step up trade collaboration
Vietnam’s Trade Counsellor in Algeria and Tunisia Hoang Duc Nhuan had meetings with representatives from various departments of Tunisia between November 27 and December 2 with a hope to intensify bilateral trade ties.
Accordingly, Nhuan met the head of the directorate for cooperation with Arab and ASEAN countries under the Tunisian Ministry of Commerce; the head of the directorate for international cooperation and external relations under the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines; and representatives from the directorate for Asia under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, the Export Promotion Centre, and the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTIA).
At the meetings, the two sides shared information about the economic and trade situation of their respective countries, reviewed the bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Tunisia in recent years, and discussed measures to promote cooperation in trade and industry in the coming time.
According to Nhuan, within the framework of his working trip, the Vietnam Trade Office handed over a draft Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency to the Tunisian Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX) for consideration toward the early signing; provided a list of reputable Vietnamese exporters for UTIA's member enterprises; and invited Tunisian agencies and businesses to attend the virtual Vietnam Food Expo 2021.
Both sides agreed to coordinate in holding a business workshop in 2022, and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the Economic Forum of the Francophonie scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Francophonie Summit in November 2022 in Tunisia.
According to Vietnam Customs, two-way trade between Vietnam and Tunisia reached US$36.38 million in 2020, of which Vietnam’s exports were valued at US$25.7 million, mainly from coffee, pepper, cashew nuts, seafood, machinery and components. Vietnam mainly imports seafood, chemicals, machinery, and garment and textiles from Tunisia.