Under the theme “Vietnam–Africa: Cooperation for Sustainable Development,” the 2nd Vietnam–Africa International Forum was officially kicked off on August 17 in Ha Noi.
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Vietnam and African countries will definitely win the battle against poverty and backwardness to achieve sustainable development, says Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung at the 2nd Vietnam–Africa International Forum, Ha Noi, August 17, 2010
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The event drew the participation of Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy PM, FM Pham Gia Khiem, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, United Nations Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries Cheick Sidi Diarra and heads of delegations from African countries and representatives of international organizations in Ha Noi.
Speaking at the Forum, PM Nguyen Tan Dung stated that the Vietnam–Africa International Forum has become an important and substantive dialogue mechanism and venue as well as an effective bridge spanning Vietnam and Africa for closer relations and better cooperation in a wide range of areas, meeting their rising demand for development and international integration.
According to PM Dung, thanks to the Doi moi (renovation) and open-door policy carried out in the past 25 years, Vietnam has graduated from poverty and backwardness, and is now well on the path of industrialization and modernization. In the meantime, African countries have entered a new era of stability, reconstruction and development.
Promoting cooperation and integration has become the mainstream of the majority of African countries. A bright future is dawning for the African countries and for the traditional friendship and multi-sided cooperation between Vietnam and Africa, said Mr. Dung.
The PM also underlined that it is the consistent policy of the Party and State of Vietnam to develop in a comprehensive manner the traditional friendship and multisided cooperation with Africa.
“Africa is a vast continent embracing many countries where the brotherly African nationalities living together. It is a region of huge potentials and development cooperation opportunities. Africa is an attractive destination, and a partner of great potential of many countries around the world,” stressed PM Dung.
As a traditional close friend of African countries, Vietnam believes that the time has come for promoting and expanding traditional friendship and multisided cooperation with African countries for the benefits of both sides, for peace, stability and development of Vietnam, Africa and the world at large.
However, the Vietnamese Government chief also touched upon some limitations that need to be addressed include the insufficiency in terms of the exchange of visits at various levels, the incomplete legal framework, the productivity of cooperation mechanisms, the lack of diversity in proportion, forms and areas of trade and failure in having adequate communication and promotion activities about Africa in Vietnam and vice versa.
* Top measures for sustained growth
On that basis, PM Nguyen Tan Dung suggested the forum focus on the following issues:
First, strengthen the relations of traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Africa in areas of mutual interests on the basis of respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and enhance the effective presence of Vietnam in Africa and of Africa in Vietnam.
Second, promote and expand economic, trade and investment relations with priority given to such highly feasible areas as energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure construction, trade–investment, human resource development, healthcare and education.
Third, promote outreach and communication activities as well as information exchange and experience sharing, particularly in national construction and development, poverty alleviation, implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
Fourth, review and strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially inter-governmental committee; encourage the participation of enterprises, organizations and economic sectors in order to create dynamism and effectiveness in each established mechanism./.