Vietnam values ties with Seychelles: official hinh anh 1Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (R) and Vice President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton in Hanoi on April 16 (Photo: VGP)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam treasures and wants to expand its cooperation with African countries, including Seychelles, stated Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on April 16.

He made the statement while hosting Vice President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton in Hanoi, during which he congratulated the Seychelles Government and people on their impressive socio-economic progress which has turned the country into a leading one in Africa in terms of per capita income and an attractive tourism destination.

Dam said with delight that 2019 marks the 40th founding anniversary of the Vietnam – Seychelles diplomatic relations. The ties have grown continuously, he added.

According to the official, among the African investors in Vietnam, Seychelles is now operating the highest number of projects. However, their value remains modest and falls short of bilateral cooperation potential.

The Deputy PM suggested the two nations focus on improving the effectiveness of their signed agreements in trade, culture-tourism, and training.

Praising Seychelles’ role in and contributions to the African Union and United Nations (UN), Dam urged both countries to step up their exchange of delegations at all levels and people-to-people exchange, as well as to support each other at international forums.

He asked the African nation to back Vietnam’s bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.

For his part, Meriton affirmed Seychelles wants to become a gateway connecting economies, including Vietnam, to Africa.-VNA
VNA