"The Season of Hope for Vietnam and South Africa"

“Vietnam and African nations had many things in common in the past. Together they built their national independent states and industrialized their nations from poor and backward agriculture-based economies. At present, Vietnam and African nations are trying to carry out socio-economic reform and development policies to further speed up their industrialisation processes, attracting more foreign investment capital and combining the economy development with the poverty reduction. These common points are favourable conditions for Vietnam and Africa to boost mutual cooperation, experience exchange and supports, Professor Do Hoai Nam, president of the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, stressed at the seminar on “The 21^st century: Season of Hope for Viet Nam and Africa” held in Hanoi on March 30, 2006.

 

These points have helped the two sides develop all fields strongly, especially trade and investment. Vietnam- South African trade revenues in 1991 was US$15 million, and two-way trade revenues in 2005 were US$160 million. Vietnamese goods are sold in 44 countries in Africa. Major Vietnamese industrial consumption goods like garments, footwear, electric and electronic appliances and plastics have strong foothold in Africa. Rice is the Vietnam’s largest cash-earning export to Africa.

 

According to South African Ambassador to Vietnam H.E. G. L. Pitso, Vietnam and South Africa can join hands in many fields like minerals, timber production and processing, rice import-export. The two countriees also cooperate in the field of tourism because of their great potential. Vietnam and South Africa have now set up joint commercial commission.

 

At present, South Africa is seeking export markets for its oil products and minerals. These are important commodities of South Africa and I think South Africa needs to focus on the Vietnamese market as it is in need of these products, said Dr. Christopher Landsberg, director of the Centre for Policy Studies in Johannesburg, South Africa. H.E. G.L. Pitso said that, South Africa is hoping to open a gold and diamond trade fair in Vietnam in late May. According to Dr. Christopher Landsberg, the potential of South Africa and Vietnam is also very great, especial in science and technique.

 

As the conclusion, H.E. G. L. Pitso hoped that the two countries would share experience in economic development and reform with the view to bring out solutions for further more developing the bilateral cooperation in future.