Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam attaches importance to developing multi-facetedrelations and cooperation with The Gambia, especially in areas both countriesare interested in, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to The Gambia Pham Quoc Tru.

The diplomat made the affirmation during a working session with Minister of Trade, Industry, RegionalIntegration and Employment of The Gambia Lamin Jobe on April 17 as part of activitiesin his visit to present credentials to the President of The Gambia.

AmbassadorTru said the two countries should soon sign several important agreements tocreate favourable legal frameworks for bilateral cooperation, as well as strengthenexchange of delegations.

The two sides agreed that although economic and trade cooperation betweenVietnam and The Gambia has developed positively, it is still modest and belowpotential.

Theyattributed this situation to a lack of market information, geographicaldistance and a lack of favourable laws for bilateral cooperation and promotionactivities in each country.

The officials underlined the need for the two countries to perfect legalframeworks and enhance sharing of information and trade promotion, investmentand tourism activities, and encourage their enterprises to expand cooperationand investment in fields like agriculture, exploitation and processing of aquaticproducts.

Jobe spoke highly of Vietnam’s economic development achievements in recentyears, expressing his hope that Vietnam will share its experience with TheGambia and support the West African country’s development, especially in agricultureand aquaculture.

He suggested the Vietnamese Government encourage enterprises to invest into theAfrican nation’s market.

Thesame day, Ambassador Tru had a working session with representatives from TheGambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), during which the two sides agreedto strengthen cooperation, share information and to encourage businesses ofboth countries to seek investment and trade opportunities in each other’smarkets.

They proposed some recommendations to promote bilateral trade, stressing thatthe Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the GCCI should sign an agreementon sharing information, experience and supporting businesses of the twocountries in each other’s market.

Vietnameseand Gambian businesses were advised to connect with embassies and commercial officesas well as trade promotion agencies of the two countries to seek information andinvestment opportunities.

Addressing the session, Vietnamese CommercialCounsellor Hoang Duc Nhuan detailed Vietnam’s trade and economic developmentin recent times, strong areas that the two sides can foster investmentcooperation and introduced Vietnam’s prestigious export firms.

Hestressed that the Vietnamese Commercial Office in Algeria and The Gambia is readyto coordinate with the GCCI to share market information and support businessesof the two countries.

Director of the GCCI Alieu Secka said his agency is willing to set up relationswith the VCCI and work with the Vietnamese side to push cooperation between thetwo countries’ enterprises.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and The Gambia in 2017 reached 24 million USD. Thefigure dropped to only 11 million USD in 2018 because Vietnam reduced import of raw cashew nuts from The Gambia.-VNA