President lauds Egyptian ambassador’s contribution to bilateral ties hinh anh 1President Tran Dai Quang (R) hosts Egyptian Ambassador Youssef Kamal Boutros Hana (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang hailed the contributions of Egyptian Ambassador Youssef Kamal Boutros Hana to in fostering the friendship and partnership between Vietnam and Egypt during a reception for the outgoing diplomat in Hanoi on January 24.

Vietnam values the role of Egypt in the region and international organisations such as the United Nations, the African Union and the Non-Aligned Movement, said President Quang, adding that Vietnam hopes that Egypt will successfully hold its upcoming presidential election.

This year, Vietnam and Egypt will celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, he noted, suggesting that the two sides increase delegation exchanges and meetings between businesses, thus promoting investment and trade and tourism, while fostering people-to-people contacts.

He underlined the strong cooperation potential between the two sides, stressing that both countries should promote cooperation in all fields, thus lifting bilateral ties to a new height.

Egypt is a prioritised partner of Vietnam in the region, and an important partner in Africa with two-way trade of about 350 million USD in 2017, stated the President.

For his part, Ambassador Youssef Kamal Boutros Hana thanked the Vietnamese side for supporting him in completing his tasks during his tenure in Vietnam.

He said that the visit to Vietnam by President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in September 2017 was an important milestone in Vietnam-Egypt relations.

Lauding the socio-economic achievements of Vietnam as well as the country’s rising position globally, the diplomat said Egypt hopes to bolster ties with Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries.

This year, the Ministry of Culture of Egypt plans to hold several cultural activities in Vietnam to mark the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, he said. Vietnam and Egypt have also set a roadmap for the implementation of outcomes of the Egyptian President’s September 2017 visit to Vietnam.

The ambassador also affirmed that Egypt hopes to welcome President Tran Dai Quang soon.-VNA
VNA