Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Algeria Hoàng Đức Nhuận (middle) introduces the potential of import-export activities between Việt Nam and Algeria and Senegal at the event. — VNA Photo

ALGIERS — More than 200 businesses from Algeria, Senegal and Việt Nam operating in various sectors joined an online trade exchange among the three countries on April 5 and 6.

Addressing the event, Vũ Bá Phu, Director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that in the context that countries still closed their borders to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was an important activity to foster connections among enterprises of the three countries.

Phu said he hoped participants would optimise this opportunity to explore each other’s potential and demand to set up partnerships, thus supporting each other to overcome difficulties for common development.

Vietrade was willing to coordinate with and create favourable conditions for businesses from Việt Nam, Algeria and Senegal to cooperate in an effective, stable and long-term manner, said Phu.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria and Senegal Nguyễn Thành Vinh said that this was the second trade exchange that had been held since the pandemic broke out after the first one in November last year, aiming to give a chance for enterprises of the three countries to meet and exchange ideas.

He said the embassy would accompany businesses of the three countries in exploring each other’s markets and seek cooperation opportunities.

Representatives from Algeria and Senegal introduced the potential and cooperation demand of the two countries with Việt Nam, while proposing measures to further promote mutual understanding among the firms and set up partnerships.

President of Algeria’s Organisation of National Economic Development Roubai Nasreddine Mounir said that the potential market of Algeria would be an important gateway for Vietnamese enterprise to strengthen investment and trade ties with Algeria in particular and Africa in general.

Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Algeria Hoàng Đức Nhuận, who is also in charge of Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Gambia and Tunisia, introduced the potential of import-export activities between Việt Nam and Algeria and Senegal, as well as relevant regulations, payment methods and tax policies in the three markets.

He also called on businesses from Algeria and Senegal to attend upcoming trade events in Việt Nam such as Vietnam Expo 2021 from April 14-17, and Vietnam AutoExpo 2021 from May 20-23.

Việt Nam's customs statistics showed that trade between Việt Nam and Algeria was US$150 million in 2020, a 20 per cent decrease from $190 million in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Việt Nam mostly exports coffee, rice, peppercorn, seafood, steel, computers, electronics and spare parts, and equipment to Algeria, while importing pharmaceuticals, minerals, and animal feed from the country.

Noting that the results had yet to meet cooperation potential between the two sides, he called on Algerian investors to increase investment in Việt Nam, a gateway to the Asian market and especially a 650-million-strong ASEAN market.

Meanwhile, trade between Việt Nam and Senegal was only $95 million in 2019. — VNS