Việt Nam, South Africa should further bolster economic ties: Diplomat

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) receives Deputy President of South Africa Paul Mashatile in Hà Nội on December 14, 2023. — VNA/VNS Photo

PRETORIA — Việt Nam and South Africa should further tap their economic cooperation potential to make their economic partnership match the sound bilateral political relations, said Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoàng Sỹ Cường in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties (December 22, 1993-2023). 

The diplomat said that the two sides should promote collaboration in areas of each other’s strengths and demand such as mining, agriculture, energy, education-training, trade, logistics and finance-banking, as well as new areas such as digital transformation and green economy.

He suggested that in the immediate future, the two countries should continue to create favourable conditions for their goods to access each other’s market, while generating more chances for businesses of the two countries to meet and strengthen investment cooperation.

At the same time, Việt Nam and South Africa should continue to enhance the efficiency of the Inter-Governmental Forum, the Joint Committee and other cooperation mechanisms, while paying special attention to reviewing, updating, negotiating and signing bilateral cooperation agreements across all fields, he said.

The diplomat said the two countries should increase delegation exchanges through all levels, while promoting their coordination at multilateral forums, especially the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the South-South Cooperation, thus reinforcing political trust.

Cường also underlined the need to bolster locality-to-locality cooperation, as well as partnership in tourism, culture and people-to-people exchange.

Looking back on the Việt Nam-South Africa ties over the past three decades, the diplomat said that the bilateral relations had been reinforced and become more substantial and effective.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, ties between the two countries had been promoted through the Party, State and people-to-people channels and at all levels, Cường said, highlighting Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân’s visit to South Africa in mid-September and the Việt Nam visit by South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile in mid-December this year.

South Africa has been the largest trade partner of Việt Nam in Africa, and bilateral cooperation in defence-security, science-technology and innovation, education-training, justice, tourism, wildlife management and biodiversity, and wildlife trafficking prevention and control have been fruitful, according to the ambassador.

Việt Nam and South Africa have maintained close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums. Việt Nam has supported South Africa to become a dialogue partner of ASEAN, while South Africa assisted Việt Nam in acting as an observer at the African Union. This year, when South Africa serves as the BRICS President, Việt Nam was among the few other countries invited to the BRICS Summit.

To date, South Africa is the only African country sharing a partnership for cooperation and development with Việt Nam.

The ambassador also highlighted a number of activities that Việt Nam and South Africa had conducted to celebrate the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties, including those in trade and investment.

Particularly, the first-ever Việt Nam Day in South Africa, comprising a Việt Nam-South Africa Business Forum, as well as the first ASEAN Film Festival and a Vietnamese Day of Phở (rice noodle), was held in South Africa, introducing local friends to the unique culture of the dynamic, hospitable nation of Việt Nam.

The activities created new impetus for the elevation of bilateral ties to a new height, the Vietnamese ambassador underscored. — VNS