Côte d’Ivoire top legislator starts official visit to Việt Nam

President of Côte d’Ivoire's National Assembly Adama Bictogo. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President of Côte d’Ivoire's National Assembly Adama Bictogo arrived in Hà Nội on Tuesday afternoon, begining his official visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ.

The is the first visit by a high-ranking leader of the West African country to the Southeast Asian nation since the two set up their diplomatic ties 48 years ago.

During his stay until June 16, Adama Bictogo will pay a courtesy visit to President Võ Văn Thưởng, meet with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, hold talks with the NA Chairman, and have working sessions with representatives from several ministries, sectors, and localities of Việt Nam.

He will also lay wreaths at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs, and visit President Hồ Chí Minh’s stilt house in the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội.

Bictogo’s visit will mark a new development step for the long-standing friendship between the two countries. It is expected to further promote multi-faceted cooperation, including politics, diplomacy, economy, trade and investment, labour, and people-to-people exchange between the two nations.

The two countries’ leaders will seek ways to facilitate the Vietnamese community in Côte d’Ivoire, have specific guidelines and measures to protect legitimate rights and interests, and ensure a safe and secure environment for Vietnamese people living in the West African country.

Regarding parliamentary collaboration, the two sides will exchange views on how to further strengthen cooperation in parliamentary diplomacy, step up delegation exchanges, and share experience in organising related activities.

Việt Nam and Côte d’Ivoire signed many cooperation documents such as a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two foreign ministries in May 2014, and an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders on April 18, 2017.

The two nations have regularly coordinated and supported each other at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the International Organisation of the Francophonie.

Since 2015, bilateral trade has increased rapidly. Côte d’Ivoire is Việt Nam's second largest trade partner in Africa and Việt Nam's fourth largest export market in the continent with a turnover of US$1.04 billion in 2022.

The Vietnamese community in Côte d’Ivoire has about 300 people, of whom 50 per cent are permanent residents. There are nearly 1,000 small traders trading cashew nuts between the two countries. — VNS