Deepen and comprehensive diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries

On May 20, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a conference to review the Project "Developing relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries for the period 2016 - 2025" in both direct and online formats in Hanoi.

Overview of the Conference. (Photo: Jackie Chan)

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang chaired the conference. More than 200 delegates attended the conference, including representatives of ministries, branches, research institutes, leaders of many associations, large enterprises, representatives of more than 30 provinces and cities nationwide and Vietnamese representative agencies in the Middle East-Africa region.

In her opening speech, Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Hang highlighted the importance of summarizing 10 years of implementing the Project "Developing relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries in the period of 2016 - 2025", thereby building a cooperation orientation with the region in the coming period in the context that the whole country is promoting the implementation of strategic resolutions on institutional improvement; developing science, technology, innovation and digital transformation; international integration and private economic development,

The Deputy Minister affirmed that in the context of the rapidly changing and complex world and regional situation, the political and diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries have entered a new, deeper and more comprehensive stage of development, with many new mechanisms and areas of cooperation being opened.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang chaired the Conference. (Photo: Thanh Long)

Vietnam has completed the establishment of diplomatic relations with all countries in the Middle East-Africa region, established cooperative relations for the first time with many important organizations in the region such as the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council and officially became an Observer of the African Union, etc.

On the basis of good political relations, economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the region has achieved many positive results, continuing to be a pillar in bilateral relations and opening up new development space for people and businesses on both sides.

Ministries, sectors, businesses and localities assess the Middle East-Africa as a large market with great potential. Import and export goods between the two sides are highly complementary and Vietnam still has much room to boost exports of key products to the region, including Halal-certified products.

However, delegates frankly acknowledged that despite many positive results, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and countries in the region still faces many difficulties, especially the lack of a legal corridor for economic cooperation, including fundamental cooperation agreements such as the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Agreement on Encouragement and Protection of Investment; the network of representative agencies of both the State and enterprises in the regions is still very small; resources for cooperation with Middle Eastern and African countries are still limited; conditions for infrastructure, logistics, transportation, and payment are still lacking...

Mr. Nguyen Phuc Nam, Deputy Director of the Asia-Africa Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, gave an assessment of the trade situation between Vietnam and the Middle East-Africa last year. (Photo: Thanh Long)

In preparation for the new phase of cooperation, delegates made proposals to further enhance the effectiveness of cooperation with the region, focusing on deepening relations with other countries, identifying key points in terms of both partners and areas of cooperation, promoting the completion of legal frameworks and identifying measures to expand Vietnam's two-way trade and investment space to the two regions. Based on the achieved results, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with ministries, branches, localities and enterprises to develop and submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation of cooperation orientations with the regions in the next stages.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Hang once again affirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese representative agencies in the region are always ready to support, stand side by side, and accompany ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses to develop relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries more substantially and effectively, contributing to the implementation of the country's development goals.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dua-quan-he-ngoai-giao-giua-viet-nam-va-cac-nuoc-trung-dong-chau-phi-sau-sac-va-toan-dien-hon-314978.html