Those welcoming the Slovak PM at Noi Bai International Airport included Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Dang Xuan Phong, Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Slovakia Pham Truong Giang.

Accompanying Fico are senior Slovak officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák, Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Minister Denisa Saková, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanár, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Richard Takáč, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický, and Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, among others.

PM Robert Fico, who has consistently supported the enhancement of bilateral ties, has made considerable contributions to augmenting cooperation between the two countries. He previously paid official visits to Vietnam in 2008 and 2016.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Slovakia Pham Truong Giang, the visit marks the first by a foreign government leader after Vietnam completed the restructuring of its state apparatus following the 14th National Party Congress. It also comes as the two countries mark more than 75 years of diplomatic ties since 1950. It also opens up opportunities for more substantive cooperation following previous high-level visits, based on the need to beef up cooperation and high political trust between the two sides.

Key agenda items include discussions on upgrading bilateral ties, consolidating political trust, and boosting cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, renewable and nuclear energy, culture, tourism, education, labour, green and digital transition, and digital transformation.

The two sides will also discuss coordination in multilateral mechanisms and settlement of regional and international issues of mutual concern, with a focus on ASEAN-EU cooperation.

Vietnam, Slovakia move to expand cooperation in firefighting and rescue operations

VOV.VN - A delegation from the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Department under Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, led by Deputy Director Colonel Hoang Ngoc Huynh, visited Bratislava in Slovakia for working meetings and exchanges on cooperation in firefighting and rescue operations.