Deputy Minister Vu Hong Nam (left) presents souvenir to Prime Minister Charlot Salwai (Photo: quehuongonline.vn)
At the meeting with Mr. Charlot Salwai, Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Mr. Vu Hong Nam said that Vietnam has always followed the development of Vanuatu and desired the country would continue to develop prosperously and its people have a life of comfort and happiness.
He affirmed that the two countries not only have similar history in the process of fighting for independence, but also always support each other, especially at regional and multilateral forums such as United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Deputy Minister affirmed that Vietnam has always attached importance to cooperation with Vanuatu and hoped that the two sides would exchange delegations, high-ranking meetings and businesses regularly; implement gained results during the visit to Vietnam of Prime Minister of Vanuatu, and the Memorandum of Cooperation and Development signed between the two sides in 2014.
Vietnam has strength in agricultural development and seafood processing, and it is ready to share and support Vanuatu to develop these fields. Mr. Vu Hong Nam thanked the government and people of Vanuatu for creating favourable conditions and support generations of Vietnamese people to live there for many years.
Prime Minister Charlton Salwai thanked the government and people of Vietnam for supporting Vanuatu right after it gained independence, pledged to boost ties between the two countries and affirmed Vanuatu's support for Vietnam's candidature for the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term. The two countries will continue to promote cooperation opportunities in the agricultural sector, such as the export and import of rice and seafood products.
He said Vanuatu is keen to attract Vietnamese investors and proposed that Vietnam supports Vanuatu in improving its agricultural technology so that it can self-sufficiently supply and ensure food security, as well as organize training courses, seminars and appoint experts to improve Vanuatu’s standard in this field.
The Prime Minister highly appreciated the efforts and contributions of the Vietnamese community in Vanuatu to its economic and social development. With diligence and hard work, the Vietnamese people there are very successful in economics and a bridge for economic cooperation as well as friendship exchanges between the two countries.
To strengthen cooperation and support citizens, the two sides will appoint Honorary Consuls in the coming time. At the end of the meeting, Deputy Minister Vu Hong Nam conveyed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's invitation to visit Vietnam to Prime Minister Charlton Salwai.
Earlier, Mr. Vu Hong Nam met with the leaders of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and Agriculture of Vanuatu.
On the same day, he visited Vietnamese businesses in Vanuatu and met the Vietnamese community there. He emphasized the active contribution of the overseas Vietnamese community as a bridge of culture and friendship between the two countries, and hoped that they continue to unite and support each other to develop, preserve the national cultural identity and look toward the homeland.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Dinh Van Than, Head of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Vanuatu, said that the Vietnamese community in Vanuatu is one of the oldest overseas Vietnamese communities, with five generations. From a small community of over 30 pure Vietnamese families, it is growing and deeply integrating into the local country, with some families with British, French, Chinese and Vanuatuan bloods. They have always looked toward the homeland and preserved their mother tongue./.