t the talks between Minister of National Defende Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich and South African Minister of Defende and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula (Photo: VNA)

The agreement was reached between Minister of National Defense Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich and South Africa’s Minister of Defense and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula during their talks in Hanoi on Thursday.

Minister Lich expressed his belief that the official visit by the South African Minister from Thursday to Monday will help create a new momentum for the “partnership for cooperation and development” between Vietnam and South Africa.
The South African minister affirmed that the bilateral defense cooperation is one of the important activities that contribute to the stronger friendship and cooperation between the two States for the sake of peace, cooperation and common development in the region and the world.
The two ministers reached high consensus on the overall assessment of the Vietnam-South Africa defense relations in recent years, based on the agreement on defense ties signed in 2006. The two sides have held dialogues and consultations, exchanged delegations, and cooperated in the defense industry, logistics and medical military.
They agreed to increase all-level delegation exchanges to promote mutual trust and understanding. 
The two sides shared the view that defense industry, including technology transfer, is one of the potential fields for bilateral collaboration.
They agreed to expand research cooperation in telecommunications and create conditions for Vietnam’s military telecom group Viettel to make investment in South Africa.
Regarding personnel training, Vietnam proposed that South Africa provide scholarships for Vietnamese students to study English, science-technology, computer, medical military, and logistics.
Minister Lich affirmed that Vietnam is willing to receive South African military students to learn Vietnamese and join defense policy research courses at the Defense National Academy.
He suggested that the two sides prioritize collaboration in medical military, military equipment, traditional medicine, and exchange of experts based on South Africa’s requests.
The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation and share experience in joining the United Nations peacekeeping activities. South Africa is expected to share its know-how in building medical military and sapper forces in this field for Vietnam.
The two sides will study the possibility of supporting each other in peacekeeping tasks, especially in South Sudan and some African countries.
The two ministers also mentioned coordination in anti-terrorism. Vietnam welcomes the South African Special Forces Brigade to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time to study cooperation opportunities between the two sides.
During her working visit to Vietnam, the South African defense minister is scheduled to visit the General Department of Defense Industry and Viettel telecom group