President of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo expressed his delight at positive progress made in the sides’ economic and trade ties with average annual bilateral trade reaching over US $1 billion in the past five years, pledged tight collaboration with Vietnam.

At the meeting. Photo: VNA

He also suggested that Vietnam and Côte d’Ivoire should enhance their transport cooperation with specific, substantive activities, at his meeting with Transport Minister Nguyen Van Thang in Hanoi on June 15, VNA reported.

Bictogo, who is on an official visit to Vietnam, said the opening of direct flights will make it easier for traders of the two countries to seek and materialize cooperation opportunities.

He added that the two countries should step up collaboration in maritime transportation to optimize their potential in this field.

The leader said he held talks with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and met with President Vo Van Thuong on June 14, during which they agreed to facilitate payment and the expansion of the network of banking agents in support of the bilateral trade ties, covering the transport sector.

Currently, Vietnam is a big importer of cashew nuts and yarn of Côte d’Ivoire, he said, stressing that Côte d’Ivoire wants to serve as a gateway for Vietnamese electronics and garments-textiles to enter West African nations.

For his part, Thang hailed the Côte d’Ivoire top legislator’s visit as an important milestone in promoting cooperation between the two legislatures in particular and the two countries in general.

The Vietnamese minister noted that Côte d’Ivoire is now Vietnam’s second biggest trade partner in Africa with two-way trade reaching US $1.04 billion last year, and lauded efforts by the two sides in accelerating negotiations for a bilateral agreement on cooperation in economy and trade.

The agreement will create a foundation for the bilateral economic and trade ties, and a premise for the development of shipping routes, as well as the launch of direct flights between the two countries in the future, he stressed.

Thang said the transport cooperation should be enhanced on par with the potential of both countries, thus further facilitating the trade and investment ties.

The two sides agreed to speed up the negotiations and signing of a bilateral air transport agreement, towards the opening of direct flights in order to facilitate socio-economic development and people-to-people exchanges.

At the same time, they will soon hold negotiations on and sign a maritime transport agreement to strengthen cooperation in this field and reduce maritime transportation costs.

The two sides also consented to enhance information sharing, promote the presence and investment of Vietnamese businesses in Côte d'Ivoire, and vice versa.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien (R) meets with President of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo in Hanoi on June 15. Photo: VNA

The same day, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien also hosted President of Côte d’Ivoire’s National Assembly Adama Bictogo in Hanoi.

Vietnam can completely supply the African nation goods that it needs, Dien told his guest, suggesting the two nations accelerate their negotiations of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) and a preferential trade agreement (PTA) as well as develop a better cooperation plan.

Côte d’Ivoire can serve as a bridge to help Vietnam and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) study the possibility of negotiating such agreements between the sides, the minister noted.

He went on to recommend the two nations step up the exchange of all-level delegations and business delegations, encourage their firms to join trade expos on the other side, and consider promoting joint work in agricultural and food processing and mining.

In addition to rice, he suggested Côte d’Ivoire increase the import of goods of its demand and Vietnam’s strength such as textiles, footwear, household items, construction materials, machinery, and electrical equipment.

In response, Bictogo said that Côte d'Ivoire always considers Vietnam an important partner in the Asia-Pacific region, and wishes to strengthen their bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially economy and trade.

Bictogo said his nation is currently an important transit market, bringing goods to many countries in West Africa such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. This could facilitate Vietnam's strong products like farm produce, textiles, footwear, and household goods, to access many member markets of ECOWAS), the official added.

Côte d'Ivoire is one of the two leading rice export markets of Vietnam in Africa. In 2022, Vietnam exported 656.000 tonnes of rice worth nearly US $295 million to the nation.

It is also one of the major suppliers of raw cashew nuts to Vietnam, with the latter’s spending on purchasing the product from the former usually accounting for 20-30% of its total raw cashew nut import value.

Strengthening International Solidarity in Africa Living and working in Bambari, Major Nguyen Van Hien, a Vietnamese officer at the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) (Central African Republic) always ...

Celebrating Africa Day 2023 in Hanoi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc on May 25 attended the 60th anniversary of Africa Day organized by African Embassies in Vietnam.

The Next Generation of Vietnam - South Africa Friendship Kgwaridi Buti Manamela, South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation had a meeting with Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Viet ...