In a bid to seek and expand investment and business cooperation opportunities with Vietnamese businesses, a Moroccan business delegation with 25 members, led by Mr Mohamed Abdou, Minister of Trade and Industry, paid a working to Vietnam. On this occasion, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Embassy Morocco in Hanoi organised the "Vietnam - Morocco Business Forum” for businesses of both sides.
The visitors wanted to boost cooperation with Vietnamese companies in agriculture, seafood, metallurgy, engineering, electricity, construction materials, pharmacy, chemical, travel, high-grade handicrafts, information technology, telecommunications and general export and import.
Morocco is one of the 10 largest export markets of Vietnam in Africa. In 2014, Vietnam’s exports to this market reached US$148 million, up 48 percent over 2013. Vietnam’s main exports include phones and accessories, coffee, seafood, computers, electronic products and components, ships, garments, textiles, yarns, footwear, fishing nets, chemicals and pepper. Last year, Vietnam spent just US$8.7 million on imports from the African nation, an increase of 150 percent from a year earlier. Vietnam primarily purchased computers, pharmaceuticals, DAP fertilisers, apparel and footwear materials from Morocco.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said since Vietnam and Morocco established diplomatic relations in 1961, political and diplomatic relations between the two countries have been constantly developed. Bilateral economic and commercial relations have been expanded strongly as a result.
However, he admitted that the outcomes still fell short of expectations ad potential of both nations. He proposed that the two countries perfect legal frameworks, review cooperation agreements on trade, industry, investment, finance and other fields, and exchange high-ranking official delegations, particularly business delegations in search of new markets and partners. Besides, businesses of both countries should actively explore markets, join market survey delegations, and set up representative offices, branches and companies at each other country.
Minister Mohamed Abbou said the Vietnam - Morocco Business Forum is the evidence of goodwill of the Moroccan Government in strengthening cooperative relations with Vietnam. "The King and the Moroccan Government always attach much importance to cooperation with developing countries, specially Vietnam. According to Moroccan researchers, Vietnam is one of the most attractive economies in Asia that Morocco should cooperate with,” he said.
He added that Morocco wants to cooperate with Vietnam in marine, agriculture, garment - textile, olive oil production and coffee.
In the framework of the forum, the Morocco Export Promotion Centre and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation. This evidenced the willingness to consolidate relations and strengthening cooperation between businesses of the two countries.
Anh Mai
Vietnamese
