PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and President of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi(VNA) - Vietnamalways attaches importance to promoting its friendship and cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire and considers Côte d’Ivoire as one of its importantpartners in Africa, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has said.
At a reception in Hanoi on June 14 for President of Côted’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo, PM Chinh proposed that both sides should ensure balanced trade, diversify goods for exchange, boost the export of goods of Vietnam'sstrengths, and expand cooperation into other potential areas. Healso suggested studying a trilateral agricultural cooperation model between thetwo countries and an international organisation.
On this occasion, he asked Côte d’Ivoire to continue creating favourableconditions for the Vietnamese community to settle down their lives in the African country and contributeto the bilateral friendship relations.
Bictogo, for his part, affirmed that Côte d’Ivoire considers Vietnamone of its important partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and wishes to enhance multifaceted cooperationwith Vietnam to maximise the immense potential between the two countries.
As room for bilateral cooperation remains huge, the hostand guest agreed on measures to further deepen the bilateral ties, includingfacilitating high-level meetings and exchanges to enhance political trust and createa solid foundation to reinforce cooperation, particularly in economy.
Both sides were determined to further increase bilateraltrade through promotional activities and exchanges, while facilitating marketexpansion in each country as well as in Africa and Asia.
The Vietnamese side expressed its readiness to assist Côte d’Ivoire in enhancingcooperation with ASEAN while Côte d’Ivoire committed to backing the promotion ofVietnam-Africa cooperation within the framework of the African Union and theEconomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Agreeing with PM Chinh’s suggestions, the guest pledged to promote the legislature's role to facilitate cooperation between the two governments,particularly in adopting measures suggested by the PM.
He expressed his wish that Vietnam would share its developmentexperience and proposed strengthening agricultural cooperation with Vietnam tocontribute to ensuring sustainable food security in the African country.
The NA President called on Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Côte d’Ivoire, and affirmed that the African nation is willing to step up cooperation in education,health care, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two leaders agreed on the need to strengthen the legalframework for economic cooperation by accelerating the signing of the FrameworkCooperation Agreement as well as important agreements on trade, investment encouragement and promotion, and double taxation avoidance.
They promised to continue offering mutual support atmultilateral forums, especially the United Nations and the Non-AlignedMovement. They also pledged to back the stance on settling disputes, including the EastSea issue, through peaceful means in line with international law.
PM Chinh suggested Bictogo convey his invitation to his Côte d’Ivoire counterpart to visitVietnam and thanked the invitation to visit the African country. He said the visitwill be arranged at a suitable time through the diplomatic channel./.
