Vietnam always treasures all-round ties with Morocco

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Morocco held the fourth meeting of their Joint Committee and the fifth political consultation between the two foreign ministries in Hanoi on April 23 and 24, during which the Vietnamese side reiterated that it always treasures the comprehensive cooperation with Morocco.

The events were co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam and Moroccan Secretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mounia Boucetta.

At the fourth meeting of the Vietnam-Morocco Joint Committee, Mounia Boucetta highly valued the development achievements of Vietnam. 

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Nam expressed his delight at the sound development of the countries’ relations, adding that the visit to Vietnam by President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki in December 2017 and the trip to the North African nation by Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien in July 2017 set up close parliamentary ties.

Vietnam thanked Morocco for supporting its candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021. Morocco also appreciated Vietnam’s support for its participation in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Regarding economic links, the two sides agreed to boost bilateral trade and investment by increasing mutual visits by their businesses to explore markets and join hands in projects in other African countries.

They said current bilateral trade, estimated at 170 million USD in 2017, remains modest compared to the countries’ potential and political cooperation.

To enhance connections in this field, Morocco asked the two sides consider reactivating the bilateral business council and promoting relations in complementary areas like fertilizer and pharmaceutical production, aquaculture, and rice trading.

[Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh greets Moroccan official]

The countries also affirmed that they will continue graduate and postgraduate scholarship programmes and step up ties in education and training through signing cooperation deals between their research establishments, organising mutual visits between researchers, and holding symposiums.

Vietnam welcomed Morocco’s sending of Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) correspondents to Vietnam and establishment of the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Association to boost people-to-people exchanges.

The two sides will also promote pairing Vietnamese and Moroccan localities, including Nha Trang and Agadir, Ho Chi Minh City and Casablanca, and Da Nang and Tangier.

At the meeting, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation was signed by Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Morocco’s Ministry of Labour and Professional Integration. Vietnam’s Maritime University and Morocco’s Institute of Maritime Studies also inked another memorandum.

At the two foreign ministries’ political consultation, the officials discussed regional and international issues of shared concern such as cooperation within the framework of the UN, ASEAN and the African Alliance, the situation in the Asia-Pacific and the North Africa, climate change prevention, and sustainable development.

They also voiced concern about the escalation of conflicts and instability in some regions around the world. They said disputes must be resolved by peaceful means, through negotiations and on the basis of international law and the UN Charter.-VNA