Vietnam is actively pursuing enhanced trade and investment relations with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Egypt, aiming to broaden market accessibility and strengthen economic partnerships. During recent discussions, Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân emphasized the importance of maximizing the Vietnam-EAEU Free Trade Agreement to boost bilateral trade and investment. She suggested potential upgrades to the agreement and called on the EAEU to resolve trade barriers impacting Vietnamese exports like textiles, footwear, and rice.
Key topics during the talks included improving trade data coordination, expediting the meetings of their joint committee, and increasing the use of electronic certificates of origin. Officials from the EAEU noted that bilateral trade has almost doubled, indicating promising prospects for further growth. This underscores the mutual interest in exploring new avenues for economic collaboration.
In a separate engagement, Vice President Xuân met with Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Hussein Mohamed Ahmed Eissa. She advocated for more robust high-level exchanges and deeper economic cooperation between Vietnam and Egypt. Xuân highlighted the potential for a Vietnam-Egypt free trade agreement and identified several sectors ripe for expanded collaboration, including agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, digital transformation, education, and renewable energy.
These meetings took place in Bishkek, where Vietnam was participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Summit. This participation reflects Hanoi’s strategic intent to fortify its economic and diplomatic relations with regional partners. The discussions with both the EAEU and Egypt are part of Vietnam’s broader strategy to enhance its international engagement and economic footprint.