HA NOI — National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday met the diplomatic advisor to the President of the Central African Republic, Joseph Kiticki Kouamba, in the capital yesterday to discuss strengthening bilateral co-operation.
On the same day, the second Viet Nam-Africa International forum opened the way for more co-operation between the two sides.
At his meeting with Kouamba, Trong singled out the need to strengthen economic, trade and investment ties.
Trong said the two sides needed to strengthen the exchange of delegations to better understand the two sides' potentials and create legal basis for their co-operation.
The chairman also took the occasion to convey his best wishes to the President and people of the Central Africa on its 50th anniversary of National Day.
At the meeting, Kiticki Kouamba told his host that his delegation had discussed measures to speed up co-operation between the two countries.
He said the visit would help him learn about the successes of Viet Nam, especially in building development policy, promoting national unity and mobilising its armed forces in supporting work related to infrastructure and economic development as well as search and rescue operations during natural disasters such as floods.
Forum concludes
The second Viet Nam-Africa International Forum had provided the platform for a new phase of sustained, quality growth, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem told the gathering of almost 600 delegates in Ha Noi yesterday.
The forum marked a new step in multi-faceted co-operation and relations between Viet Nam and Africa, he said.
Participants had reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of their co-operation, assessed the potential for development and defined demand for common co-operation.
Khiem, who was closing the forum, said quick co-operation in energy, agriculture, health, education, finance and banking had been agreed at the forum.
Consensus to strengthen people-to-people exchanges to raise mutual understanding and trust had also been reached.
Viet Nam was also committed to continue the sending of experts to African countries and creating favourable conditions for African enterprises to invest in Viet Nam.
Khiem said the forum had provided many recommendations and measures to promote mutual beneficial economic co-operation between Viet Nam and Africa.
Its more than 70 speeches and recommendations would help Viet Nam form policies for Africa.
"The Vietnamese Government will complete an overall itinerary to quicken mutually developing co-operation with Africa in the next decade," he said.
Khiem called for African countries to create the most favourable conditions by co-operating with each other to build and implement frameworks, agreements and other mechanisms.
The Vietnamese Government also wanted African governments to create conditions that would allow Viet Nam's enterprises to access the African market.
Khiem affirmed that Viet Nam was committed to long-term and stable co-operation with Africa and wanted to create a profound change in their co-operation in both quality and quantity.
Applauded
The delegates applauded their host for its successful organisation of the forum.
They agreed the gathering had created opportunities for Viet Nam and Africa to assess the results of their co-operation and promote friendship.
Togolese Foreign Affairs and Co-operation Minister Ohin Ahlin Elliot described the forum as an opportunity for African countries exchange experiences about co-operation.
The forum had helped Viet Nam and Togo become closer and strengthen their co-operation, he said.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General Cheick Sidi Diarra praised Viet Nam's effort to reinforce co-operation through a Viet Nam-Africa-United Nations initiative.
The forum was the corner-stone for the triangular co-operation to become more effective, he said.
Earlier, forum participants called for the United Nations and its General Assembly members to continue their support for the effort of Viet Nam and the African countries to meet their Millennium Development Goals before 2015.
The forum agenda included: Food security, agriculture co-operation and poverty alleviation as well as co-operation in trade, industry, energy and investment and human development for economic recovery and development.
The delegates also witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding between Viet Nam and the governments of the Seychelles, Togo, Burkina Faso and Benin. —VNS
