Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Mozambican Prime Minister Alberto Vaquina (Source: VNA)

Vietnam and Mozambique have agreed to step up practical cooperation in agriculture, seeing it one of the most important cooperative fields in the coming time.

Besides, cooperation in telecommunications, healthcare and education will be in the focus, it was heard from the talks between Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Odemiro Baloi on August 9 during the former’s two-day visit to the African country from August 8.

Host Baloi said the visit mirrors the leaders’ strong will to strengthen traditional ties between the two peoples and tap potential economic ties.

FM Minh made it clear that Vietnam always counts on Mozambique as its friendly and important partner in Africa.

The two ministers agreed to keep the exchange of all-level delegations going on and forge direct links between ministries, departments and localities.

They also agreed that the maintenance of close ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Mozambique Liberation Front will create an impetus to all-sided cooperation, especially in construction, mining and fuel exploration.

They were satisfied with the outcomes of trilateral cooperation project involving Vietnam, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Mozambique in Zambezia province.

Both host and guest consented to quickly concretise the adopted measures to boost trade and work towards the signing of a memorandum of understanding on trade cooperation.

The Mozambique side will facilitate Vietnamese firms’ production of medicines in the country.

Both FMs promised to work closely at regional and global forums, support the expansion of ties between the Southern African Development Community and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as maintain regular political consultations between the two foreign ministries.

Sharing views on maintaining peace, stability, maritime security and safety in the East Sea, they said disputes should be settled by peaceful means in line with international law.

The same day, FM Minh was received by Mozambican Prime Minister Alberto Vaquina, who expressed hope that Vietnam will assist his country in rice growing, aquaculture, tertiary education and vocational training to serve its national modernisation.

The PM said the Vietnam military-run telecom provider Viettel’s Movitel network is an effective project helping revolutionise Mozambique’s communication field.

Later, FM Minh and Maputo municipal leaders attended a ceremony marking the installation of a new plaque that bears the words “Ho Chi Minh Avenue”. The avenue was named after President Ho Chi Minh in 1977 by the first Mozambican President Samora Moisos Machel in tribute to the late Vietnamese President.

During the visit, Minh also met with acting Minister of Natural Resources and Mining Abdul Razak and Minister of Agriculture Jose Pacheco.

Mozambique was the last leg of FM Minh’s African tour, which also took him to South Africa and Angola.

VNA