Gafarova praised the significance of the visit and highlighted the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, founded by President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam and President Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan, and nurtured by generations of both countries’ leaders and people.

She welcomed the recently signed Joint Statement on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, believing Lam’s visit would add fresh impetus to bilateral relations.

Lam, for his part, affirmed Vietnam’s high regard for its relationship with Azerbaijan and congratulated the country on its growing international stature.

He stressed the need for deeper, more substantive cooperation between the two countries, especially in parliamentary relations, which play a vital role in strengthening the newly elevated strategic partnership.

He commended the Azerbaijani legislature for its contributions to bilateral cooperation and called for enhanced inter-parliamentary connectivity.

Gafarova praised his vision and voiced Azerbaijan’s strong support and willingness to coordinate closely with the National Assembly of Vietnam.

Both sides agreed to empower their parliaments to coordinate, support, and oversee bilateral cooperation, focusing on energy and oil-gas cooperation; enhanced coordination of the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation; trade promotion and business linkages; investment facilitation, particularly in agriculture and food safety; and education and training cooperation.

They also agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen local-level cooperation.

Both leaders emphasised the importance of increased delegation exchanges, particularly among specialized committees and friendship groups, as well as engagement among young and female parliamentarians. They also reaffirmed coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), to advocate for peace and sustainable development.

Gafarova extended an invitation to National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to visit Azerbaijan. In return, Lam conveyed Man’s greetings and invitation to Gafarova to visit Vietnam, which she gladly accepted.

Azerbaijan is part of Lam’s European tour that also takes him to Russia and Belarus. Earlier, he visited Kazakhstan.

Vietnam and Azerbaijan elevate ties to a strategic partnership

VOV.VN - Vietnam and Azerbaijan have agreed to establish the strategic partnership following talks in Baku between Party General Secretary To Lam and President Ilham Aliyev.