The proposal was made during a meeting in Cairo on August 5 between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania A. Al-Mashat, who also serves as the Egyptian Chair of the Vietnam–Egypt Joint Committee.

The upgrade was announced following talks in Cairo on the same day between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Luong Cuong.

Son shared his strong impression of Egypt’s significant progress across various sectors and expressed his delight that the two countries have agreed to upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership.

Meanwhile, Al-Mashat said that Egypt has eagerly awaited President Cuong’s visit, believing it would generate new momentum to elevate bilateral relations into a more comprehensive and in-depth phase. She recalled her previous visits to Vietnam and said she wants to learn about Vietnam’s development experience, with the aim of contributing to Egypt’s socio-economic progress.

During the meeting, the two sides pledged to actively implement the agreements reached during President Cuong’s visit, including organising the 6th meeting of the Joint Committee and the 3rd meeting of the Sub-Committee on Trade and Industry between the two countries in 2025. They also agreed to promote exchanges and move toward initiating negotiations for a Vietnam–Egypt Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a breakthrough measure to increase trade turnover and foster sustainable, mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation.

Both sides also consented to accelerate negotiations and soon sign important bilateral cooperation documents, especially the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation.

Al-Mashat emphasised Egypt's readiness to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises, including support in accessing the necessary capital to expand their investment and business activities in Egypt.

On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also received the Executive Board of European Plastic Joint Stock Company (EuP), a Vietnamese enterprise investing and operating in Egypt.

At the meeting, Son praised the company as a pioneering and largest Vietnamese investor in the Egyptian market, serving as a representative image of a dynamic, innovative, professional Vietnamese business community ready for global integration.

He noted that President Cuong’s State visit to Egypt is a significant step in implementing Vietnam’s policy of diversifying markets and partners, especially with high-potential partners in Africa, thereby opening up new opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises in Egypt. He affirmed that the Party, State, and Government of Vietnam always support and stand by businesses, as clearly reflected in Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on developing the private economy as a key driving force of the socialist-oriented market economy.

He requested the company to strictly comply with local laws during its investment and business activities, promote connections and support other Vietnamese enterprises wishing to invest or operate in Egypt, and also facilitate Egyptian companies and corporations investing in Vietnam. He instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt to continue close coordination and provide support to this company and other Vietnamese enterprises to ensure smooth implementation of their investment, production, and business activities.

Hoang Quoc Huy, chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, made several proposals to help create favourable conditions for business operations and capital mobilisation in the market, thereby promoting Vietnamese investment into Egypt.

Vietnam and Egypt elevate bilateral relations to Comprehensive Partnership

VOV.VN - Vietnam and Egypt have decided to elevate their relations to a level of Comprehensive Partnership to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in multiple areas.