The third meeting of the Vietnam-Slovakia Intergovernmental Committee On Economic Cooperation convened in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo

PRAGUE – The third meeting of the Vietnam-Slovakia Intergovernmental Committee On Economic Cooperation convened in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Tuesday, featuring working-group and plenary sessions focusing on trade, industry, defence, agriculture, the environment and foreign affairs.

Addressing the meeting, the Vietnamese side said the country could serve as a bridge for Slovak businesses to access the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market, while Slovakia, with its favourable location, logistics infrastructure and access to the EU market, could help Vietnamese businesses expand their operations in Europe.

State Secretary at the Slovak Ministry of the Economy Vladimir Simonak affirmed that Vietnam is one of Slovakia's important trading partners in Southeast Asia, ranking third in Asia and 12th globally. Bilateral trade turnover increased from 4.306 billion EUR in 2024 to 4.911 billion EUR in 2025, representing a 14.1 per cent increase.

Slovakia wishes to increase its exports to Việt Nam with a view to achieving a more balanced trade relationship, while noting that there remains considerable room for further cooperation between the two economies.

On that basis, the two sides agreed to continue finalising the Action Plan for the Strategic Partnership. The two countries will maintain regular political consultations and coordinate at the United Nations and other multilateral forums. They will also continue to follow up on the outcomes of a business forum held in April this year to promote specific projects in areas including nuclear energy, water management, automation, cybersecurity, healthcare and mechanical engineering.

They also aim to increase bilateral trade in a more balanced manner, expand the presence of Slovak businesses in Việt Nam, and support Vietnamese companies in investing and doing business in Slovakia. Areas with significant potential include energy, renewable energy, water management, information technology, artificial intelligence, machinery, defence and food processing. Cooperation between their small- and medium-sized enterprises, technology transfer and research and development are encouraged.

Agriculture, science, technology and the environment were identified as priority areas, with a focus on soil protection, climate change adaptation, drought and water-resource management, food security, precision agriculture, digitalisation and sensor technology.

The two sides said they will strengthen cooperation between research institutes, promote expert exchanges, develop joint research projects, organise seminars and make use of programmes within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

In labour, education and social security, they will explore the possibility of signing a social security agreement, while promoting legal and transparent labour mobility and protecting workers' rights.

Slovakia expressed interest in cooperation on training nurses and caregivers in the Slovak language to meet the country's workforce needs. The countries will also continue to expand educational cooperation and exchanges of students, lecturers and experts.

In culture and tourism, the two countries are set to further promote their respective heritage, arts and cultures and further leverage the role of the Vietnamese community in Slovakia, which was recognised as the country's 14th ethnic minority in 2023.

The two sides agreed to encourage exchanges of artistic delegations, exhibitions and cultural promotion activities, as well as the promotion of cuisine. They also supported study tours for tourism businesses and media organisations, while seeking to strengthen air connectivity and cooperation between localities.

Immediately following the plenary session, Vietnamese Deputy Minister Phan Thị Thắng and State Secretary at the Slovak Ministry of the Economy Simonak, representing the two governments, signed the mnutes of the third meeting, recording the areas of cooperation and directions agreed.

Also within the framework of the event, the two committee chairs witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation to promote trade and investment between the Slovakia chamber of commerce with ASEAN countries and the Embassy of Việt Nam in Slovakia.

The MoU aims to establish a long-term cooperation framework, support business-to-business (B2B) connections and promote bilateral trade and investment activities.

The fourth meeting will be held in Hà Nội in 2028. VNA/VNS