Vietnam wishes for expanded cooperation with Tanzania

Vietnam always treasures broader cooperative relations with Tanzania, said President Truong Tan Sang at talks with his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete in Hanoi on October 27.

President Sang said he believes the Vietnam visit by President Kikwete and his delegation will represent a significant landmark in elevating the traditional friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries to even greater heights.

“Vietnam always attaches importance to expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with African countries, including Tanzania that always sided with Vietnam during the past struggle for national independence and unification and the current national construction and development.” Sang said.

President Truong Tan Sang and his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete reviewing the guard of honour.

He applauded the impressive achievements the Tanzanian people recorded in an economic reform effort as well as the positive contributions of Tanzania to peace, stability, cooperation connectivity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Economic Community (AEC).

The Tanzanian President expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s past struggle for independence and unification and its current renewal and development achievements that he deems a great source for the people of Tanzania in the struggle for national liberation and national development.

At the talks, host and guest informed each other on the situation in their respective country, assessed the results of cooperation in recent past and agreed upon measures to further all-round cooperation.

The two sides noted with satisfaction the positive developments in recent times and consented to boost closer political ties by promoting exchange visits at all levels, people-to-people diplomacy and setting up twin relationships between major cities to deepen mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The two State leaders concurred to facilitate the effective implementation  of agricultural and telecommunications cooperation projects and to direct ministries and sectors to promote cooperation in the areas of investment, trade, agriculture, fishery, education, health care, telecommunications and maritime transport services within the South-South cooperation framework.

President Kikwete expressed his nation’s willingness to act as a bridge for Vietnam to enter the African and East African markets while hoping Vietnam will facilitate Tanzanian goods’ penetration into its market and ASEAN’s alike.

Both sides agreed to early organize a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee in 2015.

Exchanging views on issues of regional and international concern, the two Presidents underlined the need for both countries to cooperate closely at regional and international forums towards building a more equal and democratic world for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

President Sang thanked Tanzania for supporting Vietnam’s election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term and asked Tanzania to continue supporting the Southeast Asian nation’s candidacy for a membership of some other international organizations in the future. President stressed that Vietnam always stays ready to respond positively to proposals from Tanzania.

The two leaders also stressed the importance of ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, resolving disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and finalizing negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a maritime transport cooperation agreement.

The Tanzanian President used the occasion to invite his Vietnamese counterpart Truong Tan Sang to visit Tanzania and his invitation was accepted with great pleasure.

The date for the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

(Source: VOV)