Vietnam, Africa need to make breakthroughs in bilateral ties
VOV.VN - Economic co-operation between Vietnam and Africa has seen positive developments, although it is still far from matching the potential, strong political relations, and aspirations of the people from both sides.
This statement was made by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet during a recent meeting held with eight ambassadors and chargé d'affaires from embassies in Hanoi, along with eight non-resident ambassadors from African countries.
The meeting saw the Vietnamese diplomat express his elation at the positive development of ties with the continent over recent years, highlighting the significant milestone of Vietnam officially becoming an observer of the African Union (AU) in December, 2023. This is along with the important contributions to supporting African countries in carrying out the AU’s Agenda 2063 in areas such as peacekeeping, food security, agriculture, digital infrastructure development, and education and training.
He therefore voiced his hope that building on this strong political relationship, the two sides will continue offering mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Francophonie. He also urged African countries to support the Vietnamese candidacy for important UN mechanisms, such as the UN’s General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, and the Security Council.
He went on to suggest that diplomats actively play a bridging role and boost co-ordination in recommending and implementing specific collaboration plans in the near future to create a shift in trade ties and investment attraction.
The foreign diplomats affirmed their support for the Vietnamese side in terms of stepping up linkages with the AU and regional economic communities (RECs) to further contribute to the continent's overall development, particularly in areas where Vietnam has strengths. They shared experience in industrialisation, modernisation, poverty reduction, and agricultural development.
Regarding economic matters, many showed a keen desire for the Vietnamese side to effectively seize the opportunities brought about by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and to tap into the potential of the African common market.
They asked the two sides to boost exchanges between their chambers of commerce, business communities, and people-to-people interactions, as well as facilitate visa issuance as a means of deepening mutual understanding and expanding opportunities for economic, trade, and investment co-operation.
The diplomats also proposed that Vietnamese businesses increase their investments in Africa to take advantage of the young workforce and abundant natural resources.
To create further breakthroughs in bilateral co-operation, the two sides agreed to strengthen agricultural collaboration, actively seek third-party resources to implement trilateral projects in agriculture and education, share development experiences, and continue fine-tuning the legal framework. This is in addition to negotiating and signing important agreements such as those on double taxation avoidance, investment promotion and protection, and visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passport holders.
