(VOVWORLD) - President of Ivory Coast's National Assembly Adama Bictogo begins a four-day official visit to Vietnam on Tuesday at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. This is the first visit to Vietnam by a National Assembly President of Ivory Coast in 48 years of diplomatic relations. The visit aims to promote legislative ties and cooperation in economy, trade, transportation, and agriculture.
Vietnam and Ivory Coast have maintained a good relationship since the two established diplomatic relations on October 6, 1975.
Fruitful bilateral cooperation
High-ranking Ivory Coast officials who have visited Vietnam include Secretary of State in charge of investment promotion (2018), Minister and Chief of the President’s Office and Minister of Digital Economy (2019), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2019), and President of the General Confederation of Enterprises (2022).
Head of the Party Central Committee’s Communications and Education Commission Vo Van Thuong visited Ivory Coast in June 2019 and Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue visited in November 2019.
The two countries have regularly supported each other at international forums. Ivory Coast backed Vietnam's admission to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term and 2023-2025 term, and to the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.
The Communist Party of Vietnam has established ties with the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP), the ruling Party of Ivory Coast, and with two opposition parties, the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) Party and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI-RDA).
Trade cooperation between the two countries has developed steadily. Vietnam imports raw cashews and cotton, and exports rice to Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner in Africa and its fourth largest export market in Africa with a trade turnover of over 1 billion USD last year. The Vietnamese community in Ivory Coast numbers about 300 people. Half of them are permanent residents, who own businesses and run restaurants. Some 1,000 Vietnamese cashew traders travel regularly to Ivory Coast.
Parliamentary cooperation creates momentum
National Assembly Chairman Hue inviting the top legislator of Ivory Coast to visit Vietnam affirms Vietnam’s consistent policy of promoting friendly relations with Ivory Coast and other African countries, exemplified by the project "Developing relations between Vietnam and Middle East and Africa countries in the 2016-2025 period".
The two countries’ parliamentary leaders will discuss measures to increase two-way trade, trade promotion and communications, investment, and business connectivity. Vietnam is ready to cooperate with Ivory Coast to improve cashew varieties and productivity, and expand trade of staple products like seafood, fertilizers, textiles, garments, footwear, household utensils, building materials, machinery, and electrical devices.
Vietnam welcomed Ivory Coast's proposal to enhance cooperation in higher education and information technology. Banking cooperation should be strengthened to facilitate payments between businesses.
The two countries will discuss the signing of an Investment Encouragement and Protection Agreement, Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, and an Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding on trade cooperation.
The two National Assembly leaders are scheduled to sign an MoU between the two legislatures, share experience in organizing legislative activities, and cooperate in overseeing the implementation of international conventions and agreements signed by the two countries.