Cooperative negotiation

Vietnam supports South Centre’s role in promoting cooperation between developing countries

February 13, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai

Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam highly values the important role of the South Centre and continues supporting the centre in boosting cooperation between developing countries and implementing joint actions to handle global issues towards the realisation of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, World Trade Organisation (WTO), and other international organisations, made the statement at the 21st meeting of the Council of Representatives of the member States of the South Centre held online in Geneva on February 11.

Ambassador Mai expressed her thanks and congratulated the Board, Executive Director and South Centre on their recent activities to support developing countries to effectively take part in international negotiation processes as well as build capacity at national and regional level, especially promote cooperation between developing countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other global challenges, towards meeting SDGs.

She took this occasion to thank the centre and Executive Director Carlos Correa for their support to Vietnam to organise an online training seminar for Vietnamese experts on intellectual property in pharmaceuticals last December amidst the pandemic.

She said in the COVID-19 fight, Vietnam has closely coordinated with ASEAN member countries and the international community to save patients, support vulnerable groups and promote post-pandemic recovery.

At the meeting, Executive Director Carlos Carrea underlined the pandemic’s impacts on developing countries’ efforts in implementing the 2030 Agenda and SDGs as well as the necessity to build multilateral consensus to cope with the current health crisis, ensure vaccine distribution in a fair and equal manner to developing countries, eliminate poverty, and meet other demands of developing countries in the post-pandemic period.

Correa shared the centre’s action plan for the 2021-23 period, focusing on enhancement of capacity for developing countries in South-South cooperation; improvement of financial mobilisation and shifting to digital economy of developing countries; reform of WTO towards respecting multilateral commitments and encouraging preferences for developing countries; improvement of international investment regulations; promotion of international actions in coping with global challenges such as climate change, biodiversification, human rights and other issues of shared interests of developing countries.

Chairperson of the centre for 2018-21 period Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki said in the context ò financial difficulties due to COVID-19, the centre still balance its budget thanks contributions of the member countries and other assistance resources, so that the centre’s operations are maintained.

Representatives of the centre’s countries congratulated the centre’s achievements over the past 25 years, while appreciating the centre’s role in promoting South-South cooperation, North-South dialogue, as well as promoting multilateralism, response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges to developing countries.

The meeting also discussed priority orientations of the centre in the coming time.

Established in 1995, the South Centre with headquarters in Geneva has 54 developing countries, including Vietnam , as members./.

VNA

UK, Vietnam sign deal to ensure post-Brexit trade, investment

November 1, 2021 by ven.vn

Given the UK’s final departure from the European Union on December 31, the trade pact will prevent disruptions to bilateral trade. Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh affirmed that based on the commitments and standards inherited from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the UKVFTA will be a new driving force to promote bilateral trade and investment relations.

The UKVFTA was negotiated based on the principles of the EVFTA with necessary adjustments to ensure the deal conforms to the UK-Vietnam bilateral trade framework. Basically, the contents of the UKVFTA are similar to those of the EVFTA, addressing trade in goods (including general regulations and market access commitments), rules of origin, customs and trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), technical barriers to trade (TBT), trade in services (including general regulations and market access commitments), investment, trade remedies, competition, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), government procurement, intellectual property, trade and sustainable development, cooperation and capacity building.

In recent years, the UK has been Vietnam’s third largest trade partner in Europe after Germany and the Netherlands. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, two-way trade reached US$6.6 billion in 2019. During the 2011-2019 period, the growth rate of bilateral trade turnover increased by an average of 12.1 percent per year.

Vietnam mainly exports garments and textiles, footwear, timber and wood products, and seafood to the UK, while importing pharmaceuticals, machinery and equipment. Although Vietnam’s exports to the UK have increased sharply, the export revenue has only made up less than one percent of the UK’s import value, leaving substantial potential and opportunities for Vietnamese goods to enter the UK if Vietnam knows how to optimize the trade deal.

Bao Thoa

Vietnam promotes substantive and effective cooperation with Middle East and Africa

January 2, 2021 by en.nhandan.org.vn

Political – external relations between Vietnam and Middle East – African countries continued to be strengthened and deepened via many flexible forms, in the context of the disruption of delegation exchanges. Many Vietnamese ministries, sectors, localities and businesses have conducted consultations, joint committee meetings and online exchanges with regional partners to promote specific areas of cooperation and to seek out new opportunities. Bilateral cooperation mechanisms were maintained, such as political consultation at the level of Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam – Mozambique, meeting of the Joint Vietnam – Egypt Committee and the first session of the Joint Vietnam – Morocco Sub-Committee on Trade and Industry.

In 2020, medical diplomacy has become a bright spot in Vietnam’s relations with the Middle East-Africa region. Vietnam actively provided medical supplies and face masks for traditional African friends such as Algeria, Mozambique and Angola, while proactively sharing experiences in disease prevention and control and promoting medical cooperation and exchange across all levels. This has been highly appreciated by Middle East – African countries, while contributing to enhancing the image of Vietnam as a trusted friend and reliable and responsible partner in the region. Vietnam’s deployment of a level-2 field hospital and dispatch officers to join the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan and Central Africa has contributed practically to efforts towards a common peace in the area. Furthermore, the promotion of the appointment of the Honorary Consulates of Mozambique and Morocco in Vietnam and the Honorary Consulate of Vietnam in Israel also contributes to improving the efficiency of cooperation between Vietnam and several regional countries.

Economy, trade and investment between Vietnam and the region continued to achieve many substantial results. Despite the negative influence of the COVID-19 epidemic, Vietnam’s trade turnover with the region in 2020 is expected to have reached US$17.5 billion. Many export products of Vietnam such as rice, coffee, seafood and home electronics have penetrated and gained a strong foothold in the regional market. Vietnamese related ministries and agencies have proactively supported domestic enterprises to access new and potential markets and partners as well as participating in production and supply chains in the Middle East and Africa and across the globe through many initiatives and activities such as the forum on potential global Halal food market and the international forum Franconomics 2020.

Vietnam is also actively promoting, developing, finalising and signing legal frameworks to facilitate bilateral cooperation with the region, notably the signing of a Protocol amending the Air Transport Agreement between Vietnam and Israel, completing negotiation and approval procedures for the content of the Cooperation Framework Agreement with Ukraine, establishing a ministerial-level cooperation mechanism on environment and climate change between Vietnam and the UAE, and promoting the development and signing of Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements.

In the energy sector, mainly in relation to oil and gas, Vietnam’s cooperation projects with partners in the region, especially with Algeria, Saudi Arabia and UAE, are being actively implemented. In terms of culture, the Vietnamese embassies in some regional countries have organised cultural events that attracted local people to attend, at the same time enhancing propaganda and advertising about Vietnam. The continued deployment of Vietnam’s telecommunications investment projects in a number of African countries in 2020 has helped people in the region increase their access to telecommunications services and expand opportunities for digital connectivity in the region as well as between the region and the globe. In addition, Vietnam has actively mobilised the region’s potential partners to provide it with ODA. In 2020, a local fund signed a loan agreement worth US$20.3 million for a project building inter-regional transport infrastructure to support socio-economic development for disadvantaged districts in Yen Bai province.

Vietnam and Middle East-African countries have worked closely at multilateral fora, including at the UN. Vietnam always accompanies Middle East – African countries in defending the core values of peace and development, upholding international law and participating in solving related issues in the region. As ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam played an active role as a bridge between ASEAN and a number of countries and regional organisations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the African Union (AU), while pushing South Africa to sign a document to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). Many countries in the region have highly appreciated and congratulated Vietnam on successfully taking on a dual role in 2020, expressing their belief that Vietnam would fulfil its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2021, while affirming their close coordination at multilateral forums and the UN, in order to protect the common interests of developing countries. In addition, Vietnam has also strengthened the establishment of official relations with the AU and promoted the establishment of a dialogue mechanism with GCC countries, in order to expand cooperation between Vietnam and important regional organisations.

In the context of complex developments in the world and the region, with a tradition of friendship, mutual trust and aspirations for independence, sustainable development and prosperity, combined results in cooperation between the two sides over the years together with great opportunities for the two sides will help Vietnam and the Middle East – Africa region continue to promote comprehensive cooperation, thereby bringing the relationship between the two sides to new heights, contributing to peace, cooperation and the development both of the region and the world.

Vietnam, Israel accelerates negotiation for trade deal

September 23, 2020 by hanoitimes.vn

The Hanoitimes – Israel is Vietnam’s trusted partner in the Middle East, stated a Vietnamese central banker.

Vietnam and Israel are stepping up negotiation for the Vietnam – Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA), which, once completed, would be a major boost for bilateral relations, according to Nguyen Thi Hong, vice governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

SBV’s Vice Governor Nguyen Thi Hong (r) and Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Nadav Eshcar (l). Photo: SBV.

Over the past years, the Vietnam – Israel relations have been growing strongly on various spheres, and Israel is Vietnam’s trusted partner in the Middle East, stated Mrs. Hong in a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Nadav Eshcar on September 23.

During this context, the efficient cooperation between commercial banks of the two countries has created favorable conditions for investment and trading activities among enterprises from Vietnam and Israel, Mrs. Hong asserted.

In 2019, revenue from bilateral payment network between banks from two countries stood at US$197 million, or 17% of total trade turnover at US$1.15 billion.

While fintech has become an inevitable trend around the world, Mrs. Hong expected the Israeli Embassy to serve as a bridge to further cooperation between Vietnam and Israel in fintech management.

At the meeting, Israeli Ambassador Nadav Eshcar highly regarded the two countries’ economic cooperation, adding there remains huge potential in bilateral relations.

Mr. Eshcar added Israel attached great importance to the cooperation with Vietnam since the latter is a gateway of the Middle East country to ASEAN’s economy, which has been reflected in strong growth in bilateral trade.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, trade revenue between the two countries stood at US$791 million in the first six months this year.

Vietnamese-drafted ASEAN-UN cooperation resolution adopted

November 24, 2020 by en.nhandan.org.vn

As the ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam represented the grouping in drafting and negotiating for the resolution.

Compared to the 2018 version, the 2020 version updates outstanding cooperation outcomes between the UN and the ASEAN since 2018, including the achievements of the ASEAN-UN Plan of Action for the 2016-2020 period, and the first-ever discussion of the UN Security Council on the role of ASEAN in maintaining international peace and security and the adoption of the ASEAN-UN Plan of Action in the 2021-2025 period.

The efforts by the ASEAN in building the ASEAN Community and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are also highlighted, along with many cooperation contents between the two sides.

Introducing the resolution, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnam Mission to the UN, underscored the central role of the ASEAN in promoting partnership and cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region as well as the ASEAN-UN comprehensive partnership.

He also highlighted new contents of the resolution, which is reviewed every two years, and expressed gratitude to UN member states for supporting the negotiations for the document as well as their co-sponsorship and adoption of the resolution.

The ASEAN-UN cooperation resolution aims to affirm and promote the collaboration between the two sides. This year, the document was negotiated and advocated in the shortest-ever time but received the highest number of supporters.

Agriculture, forestry and fishery exports hit $3.49 billion in January

February 8, 2021 by bizhub.vn