President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Omani Ambassador Saleh Mohamed Ahmed Al Saqri (Photo: VNA) Receiving Omani Ambassador Saleh Mohamed Ahmed Al Saqri, President Phuc hailed the diplomat’s positive and effective contributions to the promotion of the friendship and partnership between the two countries.
He affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to the friendship and cooperation with Oman in all fields, and thanked Oman for supporting Vietnam in COVID-19 response and assisting flood victims in 2020.
Expressing delight at the growing political ties, the State leader held that this year, Vietnam and Oman celebrate the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. This is a good chance for them to further beef up partnership.
He noted that last year, two-way trade surged 100% to 340 million USD, while the Vietnam-Oman joint investment fund has operated effectively, pouring 300 million USD into infrastructure and sustainable development projects in Vietnam.
President Phuc asked the ambassador to convey his invitation to the Sultan of Oman to visit Vietnam. He stressed that the opening of Vietnamese embassy in Oman will be a priority of Vietnam in the time to come.
For his part, Ambassador Saleh Mohamed Ahmed Al Saqri noted that Vietnam and Oman have signed 10 agreements and three memoranda of understanding on cooperation in various fields, which is a foundation for them to continue fostering their partnership in the future.
Oman attaches great importance to cooperation with Vietnam and will continue to promote the agreed cooperation programmes, he said. He suggested that the two sides continue to expand the joint investment fund.
At the reception for Czech Ambassador Vitezslav Grepl, President Phuc congratulated the ambassador for a successful tenure, contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship between the two countries.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) hosts Czech Ambassador Vitezslav Grepl (Photo: VNA) The President highlighted that Vietnam and the Czech Republic have enjoyed growing economic and trade cooperation, with two-way trade rising 32% to 740 million USD in 2021. The Czech Republic has run 38 projects worth over 90 million USD in Vietnam. However, he held that the results have yet to meet the potential of both sides.
President Phuc said that he hopes as rotating Chair of the Council of the European Union for the second half of 2022, the Czech Republic will urge EU countries to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), while supporting Vietnam’s efforts and hasten the EU's removal of the “yellow card” for Vietnamese fisheries sector.
He welcomed Czech automaker SKODA to set up a joint venture for automobile production in Vietnam and pledged to back Czech investors.
The State leader said he hopes the Czech Republic will continue to assist the Vietnamese community in the country.
For his part, Ambassador Grepl highlighted the close ties between the two countries, including the growing economic and trade partnership, and expressed his special sentiments towards Vietnam.
He held that many big investors from the Czech Republic are interested in investing in Vietnam, including SKODA, which is expected to provide first cars to the market at the end of this year. The two sides have also seen fruitful outcomes in the fields of defence cooperation and people-to-people exchange, he added.
The ambassador also recognised contributions of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic to the local society, especially amid COVID-19 pandemic./.
VNA
