HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s President Trần Đại Quang  and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi discussed measures to enhance bilateral co-operation in various fields during their talks in Hà Nội yesterday. 

The Vietnamese President informed the media about the results of his dialogue with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, emphasising the importance of the guest’s state visit, the first of its kind since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1963. 

The visit demonstrated the determination of Egypt to deepen its friendship with Việt Nam, he said. 

Politically, the two Presidents agreed to support each other for the prosperity of their people as well as regional and global peace. 

They agreed to increase delegation exchanges, especially among high-ranking officials, while strengthening co-ordination at regional and international forums of the UN, Non-Aligned Movement, and Francophone International Organisation. 

The two leaders said that the economic co-operation opportunities between Việt Nam and Egypt are huge. 

They expressed determination to increase two-way trade to US$1 billion in the future and pledged to create favourable conditions for businesses to invest in fields such as telecommunication, information technology, seaport, shipbuilding, consumer production, agriculture, and farm produce processing. 

Việt Nam is committed to facilitating the entry of Egyptian goods into Việt Nam and welcomed the Egyptian President’s support for imports of Vietnamese products, President Quang said. 

He said that the Việt Nam-Egypt Intergovernmental Committee’s fifth meeting and the signing of co-operation deals in investment, culture, tourism, transportation, fisheries and land use during the Egyptian President’s visit would help complete a legal framework for bilateral relations. 

He expressed belief that with the firm foundation of 54-year-old ties, high collaboration potential and efforts from both sides, all-round affiliation between the two countries would expand. 

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattal el-Sisi noted that Egypt and Việt Nam have enjoyed close relations in politics, economics and culture. 

He affirmed that Egypt wishes to beef up win-win economic partnerships between the two countries. 

Highlighting measures to balance trade, the Egyptian leader detailed Egypt’s major projects that aim to create a good environment for investment and technology attraction, especially the Suez Canal area development project. 

On the occasion, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited President Quang to visit Egypt to continue efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.

Co-operation agreements

Việt Nam and Egypt struck a number of co-operation agreements, witnessed by the two presidents. 

The two countries signed the minutes of the Việt Nam-Egypt Intergovernmental Committee’s fifth meeting, while the Ministries of Industry and Trade signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing a trade and industry co-operation sub-committee, while the Ministries of Transport inked a MoU on marine transport collaboration. 

A MoU was also inked between Radio The Voice of Việt Nam and Egypt’s national radio broadcaster. 

Additionally, Việt Nam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism agreed to implement a tourism co-operation programme in 2017-19 and a cultural partnership programme in 2017-21. 

MoUs on co-operation were also reached by Việt Nam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and International Co-operation; and Việt Nam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority. 

Việt Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation linked up fishery co-operation. 

Egypt is the second largest trade partner of Việt Nam in Africa, with two-way trade hitting $316 million in 2016.

Party chief meets President

Also yesterday, Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng held a reception for the visiting Egyptian President. 
The Egyptian President expressed his admiration for President Hồ Chí Minh and the Vietnamese people during their struggle for national liberation. He also hailed the role of Việt Nam in the region and the world. 
He briefed the Party chief on the outcomes of the talks with President Trần Đại Quang, and reiterated that he would promote co-operation with Việt Nam in all fields, particularly in economics, trade, investment, and cultural exchange. 
The guest also expressed his hope that Việt Nam would share its experiences in national development, suggesting that the two sides boost high-level exchanges in the coming time. 
Party General Secretary Trọng said the Egyptian President’s visit to Việt Nam was a historical milestone which opens up a new period of development in the traditional friendship between the two nations. 
He hailed the role and status of Egypt in the Middle East – North Africa region and called on the two nations to make the best use of existing co-operative mechanisms, boost delegation exchanges at all levels and co-ordinate with each other at international and multilateral forums in order to boost bilateral ties. — VNS