Five decades of Vietnam – Côte d’Ivoire friendship

On July 10, 2025, a seminar on Vietnam – Côte d’Ivoire economic policy and cooperation takes place at the headquarters of the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, with the participation of nearly 200 delegates. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Over the past half century, the traditional friendship between Vietnam and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire has been nurtured and steadily developed across multiple channels, yielding tangible achievements.

Five decades of flourishing ties

Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire established diplomatic relations on October 6, 1975. In recent years, the two countries have strengthened delegation exchanges to promote bilateral cooperation.

Most recently, during his official visit to Côte d’Ivoire from July 9 – 12, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh held talks with his counterpart Woi Mela Gaston. Both sides expressed their wish to make economic, trade and investment cooperation more effective and substantive. Alongside traditional sectors such as the export and import of cashew nuts and rice, the two sides agreed that state management agencies should encourage enterprises to share information, participate in fairs and exhibitions in each country, and expand cooperation to include garment-textiles, footwear, construction materials, electrical equipment and Halal products. They also concurred to boost tripartite agricultural cooperation and bilateral ties in banking.

At multilateral forums, the two countries have consistently supported each other, particularly at the United Nations (UN), the International Organisation of La Francophonie and the Non-Aligned Movement. Côte d’Ivoire backed Vietnam’s candidacies for the UN Human Rights Council (2014 – 2016, 2023 – 2025) and the UN Security Council (2020 – 2021). Vietnam, for its part, is ready to serve as a bridge for Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and hopes the African country will continue to support Vietnam – Africa cooperation within the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Positive growth of economic - trade cooperation

Côte d’Ivoire is currently Vietnam’s second-largest trading partner in Africa. Since 2015, bilateral trade has grown rapidly, driven largely by Vietnam’s imports of raw cashew nuts and cotton and Côte d’Ivoire’s imports of rice. Trade turnover reached 1.22 billion USD in 2024 and 1.2 billion USD in the first eight months of 2025.

For the near future, both sides have agreed to facilitate greater market access for each other’s strong products, enhance information sharing, trade promotion and investment, and deepen links between associations and enterprises.

Agriculture remains a priority area for Vietnam, which hopes Côte d’Ivoire will maintain a stable and large supply of raw cashew nuts. Vietnam is also willing to cooperate in improving cashew varieties and productivity while expanding exchanges in other sectors where it has strengths, such as fisheries, fertilisers, garment-textiles, footwear, household goods, construction materials, machinery and electrical equipment.

Beyond economy, the two nations aim to strengthen cooperation in higher education, IT training, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, particularly among young generations, to deepen mutual understanding and build support. A vibrant example of cultural ties is thousands of young Ivorians practising traditional Vietnamese martial arts, while Vietnam’s community of around 300 in Côte d’Ivoire has integrated well and contributed actively in fields such as cuisine, handicrafts and services.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties

The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. To commemorate the milestone, the Vietnamese Embassy in Morocco, which is concurrently in charge of Côte d’Ivoire, co-organised a celebration and cultural performance in Abidjan on July 11.

At the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador Le Kim Quy stressed that over the past five decades, the bilateral relationship has been built on mutual respect, friendship and effective cooperation.

Évariste Koffi Yapi, Secretary General of Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, affirmed that the two nations have steadily forged a close partnership. What began with political cooperation has since expanded into the economic sphere, and today is enriched by dynamic cultural and people-to-people exchanges. He emphasised that the 50th anniversary provided an opportunity to honour a vibrant, warm friendship full of promise for decades to come./.

VNA