President of the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire Patrick Achi. AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — The official visit to Việt Nam by President of the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire Patrick Achi, from August 23-26 is expected to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and promote economic and trade ties, contributing to more substantive and sustainable development of bilateral friendship.

The visit comes shortly after the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations (October 6, 1975 - 2025), and reflects their determination to open a new chapter in bilateral ties, particularly in parliamentary and economic-trade cooperation. 

Five decades of friendship and political trust

Despite geographical distance, Việt Nam and Côte d'Ivoire have developed close ties based on mutual respect and shared aspirations for development. Côte d'Ivoire's leaders and people have expressed admiration for Việt Nam's struggle for national liberation and its socio-economic achievements after four decades of the Đổi Mới (Renewal) process.

Political trust has been reinforced through high-level exchanges. At a meeting on the sidelines of the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 16, National Assembly President Trần Thanh Mẫn affirmed that Việt Nam attaches importance to friendship with African countries, with Côte d'Ivoire being an important partner and a gateway for Việt Nam to expand ties with West Africa.

Achi affirmed that Việt Nam is a strategic partner of Côte d'Ivoire in Asia and holds particular economic and trade importance, given the complementary positions of the two countries in global production and supply chains, especially in agriculture.

Parliamentary channel as a pillar

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng said the two countries have maintained fruitful cooperation across various channels, with parliamentary ties emerging as a highlight.

The upcoming visit marks only the second visit to Việt Nam by a president of the Côte d'Ivoire National Assembly in three years and the first time the Ivorian legislature has sent a delegation to Việt Nam to study and exchange experience with the Vietnamese legislature. This reflects Côte d'Ivoire's high regard for Việt Nam and its National Assembly.

During the visit, Achi is scheduled to meet General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm, hold talks with National Assembly President Mẫn and meet other senior Vietnamese leaders to discuss measures to further promote bilateral cooperation.

Economic and trade ties offer vast potential

Economic and trade cooperation has become one of the most substantive areas of bilateral relations. Côte d'Ivoire is Việt Nam's largest trading partner in Africa, with two-way trade reaching 2 billion USD in 2025, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Côte d'Ivoire is Việt Nam's third-largest rice export market, while Việt Nam mainly imports raw cashew nuts from the West African country for processing, accounting for 80-90 per cent of total imports from Côte d'Ivoire.

The two sides are negotiating key legal documents, including agreements on investment promotion and protection and avoidance of double taxation, as well as a memorandum of understanding on economic and trade cooperation.

They are also encouraging businesses to diversify cooperation into sectors with potential, including textiles and garments, footwear, construction materials, electrical equipment and Halal products, while promoting trilateral agricultural cooperation.

People-to-people ties provide another bridge between the two countries. About 300 Vietnamese live and work in Côte d'Ivoire, while nearly 1,000 small traders regularly travel between the two countries to trade cashew nuts. The Côte d'Ivoire Government's recognition of the Association of Vietnamese People in the country has created favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to settle and contribute to bilateral friendship.

Closer multilateral and regional cooperation

Việt Nam and Côte d'Ivoire continue to coordinate and support each other at major multilateral organisations, including the United Nations, IPU, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie and the Non-Aligned Movement.

The two countries also seek to serve as regional bridges. Việt Nam stands ready to help Côte d'Ivoire expand cooperation with ASEAN and its member states, while Côte d'Ivoire, a leading West African economy, can serve as a gateway for Việt Nam to strengthen ties with the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States.

Achi's visit is anticipated to provide fresh momentum for parliamentary, economic and trade cooperation, further deepening the traditional Việt Nam-Côte d'Ivoire friendship in a substantive and sustainable manner. — VNA/VNS