HCM City leader hosts Sierra Leone President

HCM City (VNA) – Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai hosted a reception for Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio and his entourage on March 19.

The host expressed his pleasure to welcome the President and his entourage in the southern hub as part of his visit to Vietnam, saying the trip is of significance as this year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Sierra Leone.

Mai suggested the two sides increase experience sharing and seek cooperation opportunities in areas in the time to come. 

The city hopes the President and government of Sierra Leone to create conditions for Vietnamese businesses in general and those of HCM City in particular to boost investment and business in Sierra Leone, and continue proposing mechanisms and initiatives on information provision and new collaboration in line with cooperation frameworks signed between the countries’ ministries and sectors.

The city authorities always welcome and create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Sierra Leone, he underlined.

On agriculture, Mai proposed increasing cooperation channels to promote the South-South cooperation model that has brought benefits to both sides, and building a liaison channel between their agencies in charge of agriculture, thereby enhancing exchange and connectivity.

He also suggested the city and Sierra Leone set up a channel for exchange and experience sharing in the management and operation of high-tech zones, and for promotion of opportunities for export of consumer goods to the Sierra Leone market.

President Julius Maada Bio, for his part, said he believes his visit to Vietnam will mark a new page in the relations between the two countries as well as between Sierra Leone and HCM City.

He spoke highly of Mai’s proposals, saying that there are numerous potential for collaboration between the two countries, especially in trade, investment, agriculture and science-technology. In the coming time, both sides will continue strengthen cooperation, create conditions for their businesses to seek investment opportunities, thus contributing to boosting socio-economic development and deepening bilateral friendship over the past 40 years.

The President stressed that the Sierra Leone administration is interested in Vietnam’s agricultural production technique, aquaculture, rice and plants, saying his country hopes to bolster cooperation among farmers, learn Vietnam’s experience in agricultural production so as to supply rice itself.

Besides, Sierra Leone also hopes to shake hands with HCM City in high-tech application in agriculture, e-government, helping it narrow gaps with the development in the world.

Earlier the day, the President visited the Saigon High-tech Park in HCM City./.