Upgrading Vietnam - Egypt relations to Comprehensive Partnership

Photo caption — *President Luong Cuong and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at a press conference, announcing the results of their talks. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA*

According to the special correspondent of VNA, at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his wife, President Luong Cuong and his wife led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to pay a state visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt from August 3-6.

On the afternoon of August 5, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi hosted an official welcoming ceremony for President Luong Cuong at the Egyptian Presidential Palace according to the highest protocol for welcoming a Head of State. Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, President Luong Cuong and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had a small talk and then led the high-ranking delegations of the two countries to hold official talks. After concluding the talks, the two leaders held a press conference to inform about the results of the talks.

Speaking at the press conference, on behalf of the State and people of Egypt, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warmly welcomed the President and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam to the State visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt; affirming that the visit took place in a very special context when the two countries have gone through a 60-year history of cooperation and mutual support at all levels, thereby creating closeness and connection between the States and people of the two countries.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said he had a successful meeting with President Luong Cuong, in which the two sides agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to Comprehensive Partnership to better exploit each side's potential, especially in the fields of agriculture , industry, trade and investment, for the common development and interests of both countries.

The Egyptian leader announced that he and President Luong Cuong had agreed on specific measures to further strengthen political trust, promote economic cooperation between the two sides, as well as foster the traditional friendship between the two peoples. Egypt is ready to become a bridge to help Vietnam access markets in the Middle East - Africa region through Egypt's extensive network of Free Trade Agreements, and hopes that Vietnam will support Egypt in entering Southeast Asian markets.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi affirmed that the two sides also highlighted the importance of increasing delegation exchanges at all levels, coordinating with each other at multilateral forums, promoting economics, trade, investment and cooperation in priority areas, especially infrastructure, textiles, agriculture, industry, footwear, electronic components, etc.

According to the Egyptian President, the two leaders also discussed the need to effectively implement the agreements signed during this visit, including documents related to economic and local cooperation; and agreed to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges, cultural exchanges, tourism and education.

The two sides also discussed international issues of mutual concern, emphasizing the need to resolve conflicts and disagreements through dialogue and peaceful means, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. The Egyptian President welcomed Vietnam's stance on the just struggle of the Palestinian people and agreed that promoting the two-state solution is an important goal to achieve sustainable and long-term peace in the Middle East.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi wished the working trip of the President and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation a great success and an important milestone in the history of relations and cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, President Luong Cuong sincerely thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the leaders and people of Egypt for the warm, respectful and cordial welcome given to him and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation during their State visit to the beautiful country of Egypt.

The President said that he and the Egyptian President had a very successful meeting, comprehensively exchanged views and reached high consensus on directions and measures to further strengthen political relations between the two countries, in which the two sides agreed to upgrade the Vietnam-Egypt relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership.

The President affirmed that this event reflects the stature of the bilateral relationship in the new era with higher political trust at all levels; expanding the scale and scope of cooperation in a more substantial and profound direction in all fields, especially economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation, education and training; identifying economic cooperation as the basis for promoting the bilateral relationship to become more profound, substantial and effective.

Based on that, according to the President, both sides agreed to continue the fine tradition of friendship, support and assist each other for mutual development, for the prosperity of the people of both countries, and for peace and stability in both regions and the world; agreed to maintain regular high-level visits and contacts through all channels; coordinate the effective implementation of existing cooperation mechanisms and study the establishment of specialized cooperation subcommittees in areas of mutual interest.

Recognizing the significant potential for cooperation and mutual complementarity between the two countries in the economic field, the President stated that he had agreed with the Egyptian President on the determination to increase bilateral trade to 1 billion USD in the near future. In that spirit, both sides agreed to create favorable conditions and actively consider opening their markets to each other's key agricultural products.

The two sides also discussed the possibility of starting negotiations on a Vietnam-Egypt Free Trade Agreement (FTA), creating more favorable conditions for the two countries' strong products to penetrate each other's markets; agreed to increase the sharing of investment opportunities, creating favorable conditions for businesses of the two countries to participate in projects in priority areas such as industry, textiles, renewable energy, information technology, etc.

The President said the two sides also affirmed to continue close coordination and share stances on regional and international issues at multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. He also stressed that Vietnam highly appreciated Egypt's role as a mediator and mediator in the conflict in the Gaza Strip, reaffirming its consistent stance in supporting the two-state solution, with an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, living peacefully with the State of Israel.

Along with that, the President and the President of Egypt had in-depth discussions on promoting cooperation in new fields, in line with the strengths and development requirements of each country such as science - technology, innovation, halal cooperation, education, tourism, people-to-people exchange... On this occasion, Vietnam asked Egypt to continue to pay attention, ensure security, safety, and create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community and businesses to live, work, and operate stably in Egypt.

The President welcomed the signing of cooperation agreements between the two sides in the fields of local development, defense, peacekeeping, economic development, etc. during this visit; at the same time, he requested the ministries and branches of both sides to actively implement the signed agreements and the orientations agreed upon by the leaders of the two countries, thereby further promoting the cooperative partnership for mutual development, contributing to further promoting the Vietnam - Egypt Comprehensive Partnership.

Source: https://vpctn.gov.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/hoat-dong-cua-chu-tich-nuoc/nang-cap-quan-he-viet-nam-ai-cap-len-doi-tac-toan-dien.html