PM Phạm Minh Chính (right) and President of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI - Việt Nam always attaches importance to promoting its friendship and cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire and considers the latter as one of its important partners in Africa, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has said.

At a reception in Hà Nội on June 14 for President of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo, PM Chính proposed that both sides should ensure balanced trade, diversify goods for exchange, boost the export of goods of Việt Nam's strengths, and expand cooperation into other potential areas. He also suggested studying a trilateral agricultural cooperation model between the two countries and an international organisation.

On this occasion, he asked Côte d’Ivoire to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to settle down in the African country and contribute to the bilateral friendship relations.

Bictogo, for his part, affirmed that Côte d’Ivoire considers Việt Nam one of its important partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and wishes to enhance multifaceted cooperation with Việt Nam to maximise the great potential between the two countries.

As room for bilateral cooperation remains huge, the host and guest agreed on measures to further deepen the bilateral ties, including facilitating high-level meetings and exchanges to enhance political trust and create a solid foundation to reinforce cooperation, particularly in economy.

Both sides were determined to further increase bilateral trade through promotional activities and exchanges, while facilitating market expansion in each country as well as in Africa and Asia.

The Vietnamese side expressed its readiness to assist Côte d’Ivoire in enhancing cooperation with ASEAN while Côte d’Ivoire committed to backing the promotion of Việt Nam-Africa cooperation within the framework of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Agreeing with PM Chính’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 Việt Nam would share its development experience and proposed strengthening agricultural cooperation with Việt Nam to contribute 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 legal framework for economic cooperation by accelerating the signing of the Framework Cooperation Agreement as well as important agreements on trade, investment encouragement and promotion, and double taxation avoidance.

They promised to continue offering mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. They also pledged to back the stance on settling disputes, including the East Sea issue, through peaceful means in line with international law.

PM Chính suggested Bictogo convey his invitation to his Côte d’Ivoire counterpart to visit Việt Nam and thanked the invitation to visit the African country. He said the visit will be arranged at a suitable time through the diplomatic channel. VNS