Vanuatu values Vietnam’s global role, position

Port Vila (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh, concurrently in charge of five South Pacific island states, presented his credentials to President of Vanuatu Nikenike Vurobaravu in the capital of Port Vila on March 28.

The diplomat also paid courtesy calls to five Vanuatuan ministers overseeing foreign affairs, tourism and trade, agriculture, health, and infrastructure-transport.

At these meetings, leaders of Vanuatu highly value the role and position of Vietnam regionally and globally. They suggested the countries’ foreign ministries to preside over the review of the implementation of a bilateral memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation and development signed in 2014 to further promote their strengths, governmental relations, and people-to-people exchanges.

In addition to the traditional fields of cooperation in agro-forestry-fishery, trade-investment, tourism, and human resources development, Vanuatu wished to team up with Vietnam in new areas, especially climate change response and health.

Vanuatuan Foreign Minister Jotham Napat expressed his wish to visit Vietnam soon to inaugurate the southwest Pacific nation’s Consulate General office in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meanwhile, the host country's Minister of Agriculture Nako Natuman expressed his hope that Vietnam will share its wet rice cultivation experience to help Vanuatu ensure food security. He also proposed a tripartite cooperation model between Vanuatu, Vietnam and a development partner to capitalise on their strengths in areas of mutual benefit.

In response, Thanh thanked the Government and people of Vanuatu for supporting the strong growth of the Vietnamese expatriate community in the country, contributing to connecting the two nations.

Vietnam and Vanuatu set up diplomatic relations in 1982./.