Egypt looks to developing comprehensive bilateral relations with Vietnam, particularly in trade and agricultural cooperation, Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab said.

Receiving Vietnam’s Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Cao Duc Phat on the sideline of the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC) from March 13-15, PM Ibrahim Mahlab appreciated Vietnam’s participation in the EEDC and hailed the traditional ties between the two countries.

He promptly instructed the relevant ministries to organise the fifth working session of the joint committee in Hanoi as soon as possible in line with the Vietnamese side’s proposal, with a focus on agriculture.

At the meeting, the two sides also pledged to support each other at international forums.

Accordingly, Egypt will back Vietnam in running for election to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in the 2016 – 2018 tenure and the 2020-2021 tenure of the UN Security Council. Vietnam in turn will support the northeast African nation to stand for election to UN Security Council in the 2016-2017 tenure.

Previously, Minister Phat met up with his Egyptian counterpart Salah El-Din Mahmoud on boosting bilateral partnership in commerce, investment and experience exchange. The Egyptian side was particularly interested in cooperating with Vietnam in aquaculture, and pledged to remove technical problems hindering the export of Vietnamese farm produce and aquatic products to Egypt.

The EEDC took place in Sharm el-Sheikh on March 13-15, gathering 2,000 participants from 112 countries. The event saw three Gulf countries committing 12 billion USD in aid to Egypt and the signing of several major economic deals between Egypt and multi-national groups.-VNA