Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Botswana Unity Dow. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs andInternational Cooperation of Botswana Unity Dow in Hanoi on August 26.
Minh hailed the visit which comes at a time when thetwo countries are celebrating the 10th anniversary of bilateraldiplomatic ties.
Vietnam always welcomes and offers all possiblesupport for firms to intensify cooperation at home and abroad, he said,suggesting that both sides should actively help firms with market survey andbusiness promotion activities.
He hailed the signing of the Memorandum ofUnderstanding on cooperation between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce andIndustry and the Botswana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and proposedaccelerating talks for the signing of documents such as the framework agreementon economic, cultural, education, information technology cooperation; theinvestment encouragement and protection agreement; and the double taxationavoidance agreement.
The host spoke highly of the effective collaborationbetween the two nations at multilateral forums, and Botswana’s active role inthe Southern African Development Community.
He expressed his wish for the African nation’sfurther support when Vietnam assumes the role of a non-permanent member of theUnited Nations Security Council and establishes formal relationship with theAfrican Union in the near future.
Unity Dow, for her part, wished that Vietnam wouldenhance coordination with Botswana in the fields of agriculture, informationtechnology, education-training, tourism and health care.
She welcomed Vietnamese enterprises to Botswana todo business and desired to acquire Vietnam’s socio-economic developmentexperience.
Both sides reached consensus on specific measures todeepen bilateral links, including facilitating the exchange of delegations atall levels.
Discussing regional and global issues of sharedconcern, including the East Sea issue, they highlighted the importance ofpeace, stability, security, maritime safety and freedom in line withinternational law.
On the occasion, they signed a visa exemptionagreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.-VNA
