Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s visit to Vietnam is considered an important milestone in Vietnam-Egypt cooperation, which is expected to boost the traditional partnership between the two countries in all fields.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Source: lleastafrica.com)

The visit on September 6-7 at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang, will be the first made by a State leader of Egypt to Vietnam since the two countries set up their diplomatic relations on September 1, 1963.

Egypt was one of the first Arabian countries that formed relations with Vietnam. Vietnam opened a trade representative office in Egypt in 1958, and its embassy in Cairo in 1963. In 1964, Egypt launched its embassy in Hanoi.

Over the past years, Egypt has highly valued Vietnam’s stance to issues related to the Arabian world, especially the Middle East peace process. 

The Egyptian government has supported Vietnam in the evacuations of workers in Libya in 2011 and 2014. The two sides have coordinated closely and supported each other at international forums, while sharing viewpoints on various issues at the United Nations.

At the eighth political consultations at Deputy Foreign Ministerial level in Cairo in May 2015, Egypt committed to giving technical assistance to Vietnam so the country could be able to issue Halal certificates of food for Islamic markets.

Egypt has been the second largest trade partner of Vietnam in Africa, with two-way trade hitting 316 million USD in 2016. Vietnam exported seafood, automobile spare parts, fabric, black peppercorn, coffee, rubber and other consumer goods to Egypt and imported mainly chemicals, oil products, milk and dairy products, and fibres.

Egypt was the first North African country to recognise Vietnam’s full market economy in November 2013. The country is running two projects in Vietnam’s Tay Ninh and Khanh Hoa provinces with a combined capital of 750,000 USD.

The Egyptian Government annually offered 12 scholarships in Arabian language to Vietnam. The two sides have regularly exchanged information in inspection and culture. The Vietnam-Egypt Friendship Parliamentarian Group was set up.

The visit of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is hoped to make bilateral cooperation grow more effectively and extensively, while creating cooperation opportunities in trade, agriculture, culture and tourism. The two sides will also discuss regional and international issues of shared concern.

Vietnam – one of priorities in Egypt’s Look East policy: ambassador

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s visit to Vietnam from September 6-7 demonstrates that Egypt attaches importance to Vietnam and considers the country one of the priorities in its Look East policy, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Do Hoang Long. 

He explained that this is the first-ever visit to Vietnam by an Egyptian President since the two countries established their diplomatic ties in 1963.

The visit also reflects Egypt’s expectations to upgrade the diplomatic ties and enhance cooperation in all areas, from politics to economy, trade, investment and education, Long said, stressing that the visit is expected to open up a new chapter in the bilateral relationship. 

He reviewed support of the Egyptian Government and people to Vietnam during the struggle for national independence as well as the cause of national construction and development, and highlighted the two countries’ mutual support at international forums. 

Vietnam and Egypt boast a lot of potential to step up their collaboration, he said, pointing out similarities in population and development pace shared by the two countries. 

However, he said, outcomes of cooperation in economy, trade and investment have yet to match their potential as two-way trade stood at only 350 million USD in 2016. 

Given this, the Egyptian President’s visit is hoped to create a good foundation and open up opportunities for the two sides to set up long-term collaboration in various fields like trade, investment and culture. 

Ambassador Long said up to 20 documents are expected to be signed during the visit.  

He suggested the two countries create a favourable legal corridor and payment system in order to facilitate the operation of their businesses, while forging partnerships between the two countries’ enterprises through their chambers of commerce and industry and associations of businesspeople, especially those in major cities. 

There should be a framework agreement on cultural cooperation between the two countries, he said, adding that the Vietnamese and Egyptian ministries of culture will sign a number of cooperation agreements. 

The Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt has called for favourable conditions for cultural exchanges between the two countries’ artists, and suggested enhancing friendship between their big cities and establishing friendship associations between them. 

The embassy has also proposed organising a programme to promote the image of late President Ho Chi Minh in Egypt, where he had dropped in for three times, laying the foundation for the bilateral ties, the ambassador said. 

He called on the two countries to intensify their affiliation in other realms like politics, national defence and security and counterterrorism.

VNA