(VOVworld) – President Truong Tan Sang will pay state visits to Tanzania, Mozambique, and Iran from March 9 to March 15. His visits are expected to open a new chapter in Vietnam’s relations with these countries.
Strengthening cooperation with Tanzania, Mozambique
The first leg of President Sang’s visits will be to Tanzania on Africa’s east coast. Despite being the world’s 3rd biggest gold producer, Tanzania’s economy depends largely on agriculture. Vietnam and Tanzania established diplomatic relations in 1965. Tanzania hopes Vietnam will send experts and engineers to help it in agriculture and fisheries and that Vietnamese businesses will invest in small farming machinery and agricultural production to boost Tanzania’s exports of farm produce to 5 East African nations. Two-way trade in the 2010-2013 period was more than 100 million USD per year and 204 million USD in 2015. In September, 2014, Vietnam’s Military Telecommunication Group Viettel completed negotiations on a 700 million USD joint venture called Viettel Tanzania. Viettel’s Halotel 3G mobile phone network was launched on October 15, 2015.
After Tanzania, President Sang will visit Mozambique on March 11 and 12. Mozambique’s main agricultural products are cotton, cashew nuts, cereals, coconut shells, tea, cassava, sugarcane, and peanuts. Vietnam and Mozambique established diplomatic relations in 1975. Two-way trade increased from 14 million USD in 2006 to 66 million USD in 2015. Two Vietnamese groups, Viettel and Hapro, have invested in telecommunications and trade in Mozambique. The two countries have cooperated in agriculture and fisheries.
Boosting cooperation with Iran
Iran will be the last leg of President Sang’s visits. Since a nuclear deal was implemented early this year, Iran’s relations with P5+1 countries have improved significantly. The United Nations, the US, and western countries are gradually lifting economic sanctions against Iran, which saw 2% economic growth in 2015.
Vietnam and Iran established diplomatic relations in 1973. Iran opened an embassy in Hanoi in 1991 and Vietnam opened an embassy in Tehran in 1997. The Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association was established in September, 2009. The two countries have held 6 political consultations and 8 inter-governmental meetings. Two-way trade in 2015 was 106 million USD. There have been many high-level visits between the two countries, including visits to Iran by President Le Duc Anh in 1994, President Tran Duc Luong in 2002, National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh in 1994, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in 2000, and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Vietnam in 2012 and Parliament speaker Nateq Nouri visited Vietnam in 1998.
President Sang’s visits are a demonstration of Vietnam’s open foreign policy and readiness to foster comprehensive cooperation and friendship with these countries.