Vietnam is actively pursuing enhanced trade and investment ties with both the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Egypt, aiming to broaden market access and deepen economic connections. Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân has emphasized the importance of leveraging the Vietnam-EAEU Free Trade Agreement to boost bilateral trade and investment flows. In her discussions, she suggested potential upgrades to this agreement and called on the EAEU to tackle existing trade barriers that impact Vietnam’s textile, footwear, and rice industries.
The dialogues between Vietnam and the EAEU also covered the need for better coordination of trade data, the acceleration of joint committee meetings, and an increased application of electronic certificates of origin. EAEU officials noted a near doubling of bilateral trade and pointed out the potential for further growth in these economic exchanges. These discussions are part of Vietnam’s broader strategy to enhance economic partnerships within the region.
In a separate engagement, Vietnamese Vice President Xuân met with Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Hussein Mohamed Ahmed Eissa, to advocate for more robust high-level exchanges and closer economic cooperation between Vietnam and Egypt. She pushed for progress towards establishing a Vietnam-Egypt free trade agreement, identifying key areas such as agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, digital transformation, education, and renewable energy as promising fields for expanded collaboration.
These meetings took place in Bishkek, where Vietnam participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Summit. The summit served as a platform for Hanoi to bolster its economic and diplomatic relations with regional partners, reflecting Vietnam’s strategic interest in strengthening its international partnerships.