Vietnam, Egypt examine ways to bolster extensive cooperation

Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have compared notes on specific measures to step up wide-ranging cooperation in multiple fields.

At their talks in Hanoi on September 6, the two State leaders concurred to intensify all-level delegation exchanges, especially among high-ranking officials, while stepping up coordination at regional and international forums of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, and Francophone International Organization.

Both sides expressed strong determination to lift two-way trade to US$1 billion in the coming time and pledged to create optimal conditions for businesses to run investment in the fields of their strengths such as telecommunication, information technology, seaport, shipbuilding, consumer production, agriculture, and farm produce processing.

They agreed that the economic cooperation opportunities between Vietnam and Egypt are huge and supplementary.

Vietnam vowed to facilitate the entry of Egyptian goods in Vietnam and welcomes the Egyptian President’s support for the import of Vietnamese products.

The signing of the minutes of the Vietnam-Egypt Intergovernmental Committee’s fifth meeting and other cooperation deals in investment, culture, tourism, transportation, fisheries and land use during the Egyptian President’s visit will help finalize a legal framework for bilateral partnership in the future, President Quang told his guest.

He said he hopes the traditional friendship and all-round cooperation between the two countries will grown further based on the firm foundation of the 54-year ties, as well as high collaboration potential and joint efforts.

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattal el-Sisi noted that Egypt and Vietnam have maintained close relations in politics, economics and culture, adding that his nation desires to boost win-win economic partnership with Vietnam.

Regarding measures to balance trade between the two countries, the Egyptian leader briefed on Egypt’s major projects that aim to create a good environment for investment and technology attraction, especially the Suez Canal area development project.

Egypt hopes for new prospects in bilateral cooperation, meeting the aspiration of both Vietnamese and Egyptian people, he said.

The two Presidents also shared their views on international and regional issues, affirming their support of regional and international efforts against terrorism, and seek peaceful measures for crises in the Middle East.

The Egyptian President voiced his support for Vietnam’s efforts to maintain peace, stability, prosperity, saying that all disputes must be settled by peaceful means on the basis of principles of international law, and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They agreed that both nations will jointly organise practical activities to mark the 55th anniversary of the diplomatic ties next year.

After the talks, President Quang informed the media about the results of his talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, underlining the importance of the guest’s State visit, which is the first of its kind since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1963.

The visit signifies the determination of Egypt to further deepen its traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam over the past decades, he said.

On the political front, the two Presidents affirmed to provide mutual support for the prosperity of their people as well as regional and global peace.

On the occasion, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited President Tran Dai Quang to visit Egypt at a convenient time with a view to continuing their efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.

The two Presidents witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation agreements and the minutes of the Vietnam-Egypt Intergovernmental Committee’s fifth meeting.

The Ministries of Industry and Trade signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing a trade and industry cooperation sub-committee, while the Ministries of Transport inked a MoU on marine transport collaboration.

A MoU was also signed between Radio The Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and Egypt’s national radio broadcaster.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism agreed to implement a tourism cooperation programme in 2017-2019 and a cultural partnership programme in 2017-2021.

Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation were also inked by Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation; and Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation obtained a MoU on fishery cooperation.

VOV