The Department for Africa, West Asia and South Asia Markets under the Ministry of Trade and Industry on December 20 held an online seminar between Hanoi and Cairo, aimed at increasing trade between Vietnam and Egypt.

Deputy director of the department, Le Thai Hoa, said Egypt is Vietnam ’s largest export market in North Africa, and the second largest on the continent behind South Africa . Despite political turmoil in Egypt , Vietnam ’s exports to the country are still on the rise. By the end of October, two-way trade turnover had reached 268 million USD, an increase of 23 percent from the same period last year. Of the figure, Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus with export earning at 261 million USD, up 28 percent year-on-year.

Currently, Vietnam sells agricultural products, seafood, machinery and equipment, spare parts and mobile phones to Egypt , while importing chemicals, milk, steel, and pharmaceutical products from the Northern African country.

In the time to come, the country will also channel Vietnam ’s products into the North African region.

Businesses taking part in the seminar from Hanoi operate in the fields of aquaculture, agriculture, mobile phones, spare parts, pharmaceuticals, machinery and equipment. They discussed many measures to address difficulties hindering bilateral trade, such as a lack of market information.-VNA