Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (right) had talks with Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Việt Nam on Friday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn on Friday received outgoing Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Việt Nam, appreciating his guest’s active role and effective contributions to the Việt Nam-EU comprehensive partnership and cooperation.

Congratulating Aliberti on fulfilling his term from 2019 to 2023 in Việt Nam, Minister Sơn highly valued the EU and its member countries’ donation of vaccine and medical supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Việt Nam attaches great importance to and wishes to enhance relations with the EU, one of its most important partners, he affirmed.

The official also spoke highly of the EU’s role in promoting the establishment of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between Việt Nam and international partners. He called on the bloc to continue helping Việt Nam implement cooperation in this regard while accelerating the ratification of the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by the remaining member countries’ parliaments to help make new breakthroughs in bilateral economic ties.

At the meeting, both host and guest noted with satisfaction that the Việt Nam-EU relations have been growing strongly in such areas as politics-diplomacy, defence-security, science-technology, cyber-security, education-training, and climate change response. They agreed to maintain mutual visits and meetings at all levels, especially high levels.

The enforcement of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) since August 2020 has helped turn the EU into the fifth largest trading partner and investor of Việt Nam. Bilateral trade has increased continually, reaching US$62.2 billion in 2022, up 14.2 per cent from the previous year. The EU is currently the biggest supplier of official development assistance (ODA) for the country, according to the officials.

For his part, Aliberti thanked the foreign ministry, other ministries, sectors, and localities of Việt Nam for supporting activities of the EU Delegation and himself during his term.

Echoing his host’s view on bilateral relations, he thanked Việt Nam's donation of medical supplies to EU countries in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and also spoke highly of the country’s culture of solidarity with and support for the international community amid trying times.

Perceiving that the Southeast Asian nation is a regional pioneer in green and energy transition, the ambassador affirmed that the EU will step up implementing the policies on cooperation with the region, and the JETP that the EU acts as the coordinator between Việt Nam and partner countries.

The EU treasures the development of relations with Việt Nam on the basis of political trust, intensive and extensive economic connections, and huge cooperation potential, particularly in new development fields and trends of the world like energy and green transition, to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals, he noted.

He held that Việt Nam has made great efforts to secure the EVFTA, a stepping stone for bilateral cooperation, and that the EU has also recommended its member countries ratify the EVIPA early to foster multi-faceted ties.

The diplomat also suggested both sides soon build a plan to mobilise resources for the JETP implementation in order to create conditions for expanding partnerships in investment, business, and sustainable development.

He pledged that in his new positions, he will keep contributing to the enhancement of the Việt Nam-EU comprehensive partnership and cooperation. — VNS