By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA — Nigeria and Vietnam have renewed calls for deeper bilateral cooperation as the two countries commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations.
The development was highlighted at a reception in Abuja marking the 81st National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, attended by diplomats, government officials, representatives of international organisations and members of the Vietnamese community in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Vietnam’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria, H.E. Mr. Le Viet Hoang, described the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as a significant milestone in the relationship between both countries.
Nigeria and Vietnam established diplomatic relations on February 28, 1976, with the anniversary providing an opportunity for both sides to reflect on their longstanding partnership and explore new areas of cooperation.
The ambassador highlighted the historical experiences and development aspirations shared by the two countries, noting that despite their geographical distance, Nigeria and Vietnam have maintained economic and diplomatic engagement over the decades.
He identified Nigeria as an important economic partner in Africa and Vietnam as a growing Southeast Asian economy and gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market.
Four areas of cooperation
Ambassador Hoang outlined four major areas where he said Nigeria and Vietnam could expand cooperation.
The first is agriculture and food security, with Vietnam offering to share experience in high-tech agriculture, rice production and value chains, aquaculture and agro-processing.
The second is digital transformation and telecommunications, including opportunities in telecommunications infrastructure, innovation, e-commerce and financial technology.
The third is trade and investment, with the ambassador inviting Nigerian businesses to explore opportunities in Vietnam while expressing the Embassy’s readiness to facilitate greater interest by Vietnamese companies in the Nigerian market.
The fourth area is people-to-people and cultural exchanges, particularly in education, tourism, sports and the arts.
According to the ambassador, stronger interaction between Nigerians and Vietnamese would contribute to greater mutual understanding and provide a broader foundation for bilateral relations.
Nigeria highlights partnership
Also speaking at the occasion, Ambassador Wakil Babagana, Chief of Party to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the Nigerian side at the celebration and delivered a speech on behalf of the ministry.
His participation underscored Nigeria’s engagement with Vietnam as both countries marked the golden jubilee of their diplomatic relations.
The anniversary comes as both countries seek to broaden their relationship beyond diplomatic ties to include stronger economic, technological, agricultural and cultural partnerships.
The Vietnamese ambassador also expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant Nigerian authorities for their support for the Embassy of Vietnam and the Vietnamese community in the country.
He said the next phase of Nigeria-Vietnam relations should build on the foundation established over the past five decades while creating new opportunities for governments, businesses and citizens of both countries.
The 81st National Day celebration therefore served not only as a commemoration of Vietnam’s independence but also as an occasion to reflect on five decades of Nigeria-Vietnam diplomatic relations and the prospects for deeper bilateral cooperation.
