Opens the direction of Vietnam's agricultural cooperation with the Middle East - Africa

(09/10/2019) On the direction of Vietnam's agricultural cooperation with the Middle East - Africa

Agriculture is the sector is estimated to have the potential for cooperation, trade, transfer of technology and expert resources between Vietnam and the countries of the Middle East - Africa.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh. Photo: Ngoc Quynh / BNEWS / VNA

Agriculture is the sector is estimated to have the potential for cooperation, trade, transfer of technology and expert resources between Vietnam and the countries of the Middle East - Africa. The success of the joint project to develop the field of rice, food plants in Venezuela (years 2016-2018), Mozambique ... are representative governments in the Middle East - Africa reviews high expectations and promoting relations of economic cooperation, trade and investment further with Vietnam in various other fields. Sidelines of the workshop "Meet the Ambassadors of the Middle East - Africa" organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2 days 9 and 10/9 in Hanoi, journalists Vietnam News Agency has interviewed Deputy  Ministry Agriculture and rural Development Le Quoc Doanh to evaluate potential opportunities for cooperation between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East - Africa.

Reporter:  For the first time in Vietnam event "Meeting with the Ambassadors of the Middle East - Africa" Deputy evaluate how the meaning of the organization of this event?

Deputy Minister of National Revenue:  This is a big event, it is important to create opportunities for management agencies, research institutions, associations and enterprises of Vietnam met with the Ambassador, university representatives of the countries of the Middle East - Africa to share experiences, learn practical and opens the directions of cooperation in the field of agriculture in the future.

Moreover, this is also an opportunity for representations regional diplomacy and dialogue, exchange directly with the partner of Vietnam in many fields to jointly reach a voice to promote ties work, especially some key economic sectors of Vietnam; including the development of agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture ....

Reporter:  Deputy Minister said that some of the results of cooperation between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East - Africa in the field of agriculture?

Deputy Le Quoc Doanh: As a reliable partner and is responsible for the Middle East countries - Africa, Vietnam always attaches importance to the relationship of traditional friendship and cooperation with the countries in the region. As of this moment, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries 69/70 - Africa; have trade relations with all countries in the region with two-way trade in 2018 reached $ 20.5 billion, an increase of 300% compared to 2008; receiving over $ 2.8 billion direct investment from the Middle East - Africa in Vietnam. Accordingly, Vietnam exports to the region reached $ 11.7 billion (exports to the Middle East reached $ 8.8 billion and to Africa reached US $ 2.9 billion) and imports reached $ 8.8 billion ( imports from the Middle East and the US $ 5.1 billion from $ 3.7 billion in Africa)

Vietnam has also successfully deployed multiple models of bilateral cooperation, trilateral-four sides, with the support of a number of developed countries and international organizations. Especially in the field of agriculture, Vietnam has sent more than 400 experts to support agricultural development in many African countries such as Mozambique, Benin, Guinea, Senegal ... With the help of agricultural experts Vietnam Male, yield, vegetables, aquaculture in the pilot project have increased, gradually helped African countries to ensure food security.

We also acknowledge the significant contributions of technical assistance and preferential loans from the Saudi Fund, Kuwait Fund ... for the Co-local Vietnam to implement projects to build irrigation works, irrigation systems save and rural development in Vietnam.

Reporter: Many argued that the results of the turnover imports, trade exchange between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East - Africa is not commensurate with the potential and opportunities for collaboration as expected, Deputy what is your opinion about this?

Deputy Le Quoc Doanh:  That is the basis! However, looking at the fact that, existing difficulties and challenges in cooperative relations between Vietnam and the region, but not only the business, the management bodies of the State are jointly received regulations. That is, the lack of information and understanding about markets, business practices and laws of the same; geographically distant; network of representative offices is lacking, the bilateral cooperation mechanism has not fulfilled its role in promoting cooperation.

So, I think, need to have solutions more efficient and mutually need to sit down to share practice, discuss and agree with each other, work together to find a common voice to promote the objective of strengthening more more cooperation in economy, trade and investment between Vietnam and the middle East - Africa. Mutually enhance regional cooperation to one new level, more efficient, more practical and more benefits brought to the business of the parties.

Reporter:  Particularly in the field of agriculture, Deputy Minister with recommendations and suggestions what to Ambassador countries in the Middle East - Africa to grow further in the transfer of technology, technical and human resources to this area?

Deputy Le Quoc Doanh: I think, to enhance connectivity and promote cooperation Vietnam - Middle East - Africa, Vietnam should regularly organize promotion programs, forums connect the management bodies, institutes research, enterprises, associations ... to the parties to share information, experiences and enhance mutual understanding.

Besides, the parties should strengthen propaganda to create a rich source of information, reliable on the market from which to raise awareness for business potential and business opportunities in each country.

We suggest the Middle East financial support for programs trilateral cooperation, Male - Male to Vietnam continues to appoint experts to implement projects to ensure food security for African countries.

Agencies diplomatic representatives of the countries in the Middle East - Africa needs to support connect Vietnam enterprises to export agricultural commodities that Vietnam has advantages such as rice, pepper, coffee, tea, cashew nuts, vegetables, seafood ...

in addition, public-private partnership model (PPP) in the form of trilateral cooperation between the middle East - Vietnam - Africa to invest in manufacturing and processing agricultural products in a number of African countries should also soon be piloted and priorities for the sector which Vietnam has advantages such as: rice, rubber, coffee, cashew nuts, livestock and aquaculture. These are the items have a huge demand in the Middle East - Africa.

Reporter: Thank you Deputy!

Hue Thach (recording strategy) -  Ngoc Quynh
Source: BNEWS / VNA