Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man held talks with his Côte d’Ivoire counterpart Patrick Achi in Hanoi on August 23, following an official welcome ceremony at the National Assembly building.
The talks took place in an open and cordial atmosphere, with NA President Man expressing his pleasure that Achi had chosen Vietnam as one of his first destinations in Asia since taking office in January, and just four months after their meeting on the sidelines of the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Türkiye in April.
He affirmed that General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam attaches great importance to and wishes to further promote sound cooperation between Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire.
Emphasising the role of the Côte d’Ivoire NA in promoting stability and socio-economic development and the country’s leading position in West Africa, NA President Man said modern parliaments not only perform legislative and oversight functions but also serve as bridges among peoples, promoting peace, justice and sustainable development.
The top Vietnamese legislator briefed the Côte d’Ivoire NA President and delegation on Vietnam’s major achievements of historic significance after 40 years of Doi Moi (renewal), key outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, and major orientations for the 16th-tenure National Assembly. He highlighted lawmaking efforts to create the best possible conditions for economic development and contribute to the goal of double-digit growth.
Welcoming the first Côte d’Ivoire parliamentary delegation led by a Vice President of the NA to Vietnam to study and exchange experience shortly after Achi’s visit, NA President Man proposed that the two sides regard parliamentary cooperation as a pillar and an important foundation of bilateral ties. He called for effective implementation of the cooperation MoU between the two legislatures, early establishment of friendship parliamentarians’ groups in each country, and stronger sharing of legislative and oversight experience.
The top Vietnamese legislator noted positive developments in bilateral ties, making Côte d’Ivoire Vietnam’s largest African trading partner in 2025, with two-way trade reaching nearly 2 billion USD.
He proposed that the two legislatures strengthen coordination in promoting and overseeing the negotiation, signing and implementation of key agreements, including a framework cooperation agreement between the two Governments, a double taxation avoidance agreement, and an agreement on the promotion and protection of investments.
For his part, Achi congratulated Vietnam on the achievements made during four decades of Doi Moi. He expressed confidence that Vietnam would successfully achieve its development goals for 2030 and 2045.
Impressed by Vietnam’s remarkable development achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Achi said Vietnam’s success was an inspiration for African countries, adding that its development model could provide a path for Côte d’Ivoire in its own nation-building and development process.
He expressed his wish for Vietnam to share experience in lawmaking, economic development, particularly agriculture and fisheries, technical and vocational training, public financial management, innovation, and parliamentary reform.
The two sides agreed to increase information exchanges and keep each other updated on new policies and regulations, particularly those related to imports and exports and foreign investment attraction.
NA President Man suggested that the two parliaments help create a transparent and stable business environment, facilitate bilateral trade and diversify import and export products, aiming to raise two-way trade to 3-5 billion USD in the coming period.
Regarding multilateral cooperation, the two leaders agreed to enhance consultations and continue supporting each other at international forums, particularly the IPU and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF).
NA President Man also called on Côte d’Ivoire to support Vietnam in strengthening substantive relations with the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Vietnam, in turn, stands ready to serve as a bridge for Côte d’Ivoire to enhance ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states, he added.
Achi took the occasion to invite the top Vietnamese legislator to visit Côte d’Ivoire in 2027, together with Vietnamese ministers, officials and a business delegation, to promote specific economic cooperation projects. NA President Man accepted the invitation and tasked relevant agencies of the two countries with making arrangements.
Following the talks, the two leaders visited and examined digital transformation tools used in legislative activities at the National Assembly building. Achi once again expressed his impression of the Vietnamese legislature’s digital transformation capabilities and achievements./.
