Vietnam and Haiti have issued a joint statement on the occasion of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit from March 28-29, in which they agreed on their major future cooperation directions in various fields.

The two sides reached consensus on the importance of further expanding their areas of cooperation, contributing to improving the living conditions for both peoples and fueling socio-economic development.

Vietnam and Haiti will work harder together to speed up the signing of agreements, aiming to create a proper legal framework for the sustainable development of their all-round ties, said the statement.

Additionally, the two countries will exert efforts to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on energy cooperation reached between Vietnam ’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Haiti’s Office of Minister Delegate for Energy Security, while stepping up negotiations for other agreements on cultural affiliation and investment encouragement, it said.

The two sides will also bolster their partnership in other areas, including agriculture and food security, telecommunications, energy, trade, infrastructure building and investment for mutual benefit, said the statement.

Vietnam and Haiti will create favourable conditions for joint cultural activities, while working closely to make travelling to each other country easier, so that citizens of the two nations can become closer, it added.

The two countries will also share ideas and support each other during discussions at international forums on matters of mutual concern.

In the document, the two sides also underscored the importance of fostering the South-South Cooperation framework to the enhancement of living conditions for the people of involved countries.

Vietnam, Haiti push for stronger ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Haitian President Michel Martelly have concurred to consolidate political relations and develop economic and cultural cooperation on a par with each side’s potential.

Immediately after an official welcoming ceremony for PM Dung on the morning of March 28 (local time), the Vietnamese Government leader met with President Michel Martell.

Dung congratulated his host on Haiti’s achievements in socio-political stabilization, economic integration, and overcoming the consequences of the earthquake which occurred in 2010.

He also hailed the outcomes of the “Five E” Plan ((employment, état de droit (rule of law), education, environment and energy) initiated by President Michel Martelly since 2011.

PM Dung said that Vietnamese people will never forget the valuable support of Haiti during the Southeast Asian country’s past struggle for national independence and freedom.

The two leaders voiced confidence that the sound relationship between the two nations will provide a firm foundation for advancing future bilateral cooperation.

They noted that Vietnam-Haiti relations have seen positive developments, especially since Haitian PM Laurent Salvador Lamothe’s official visit to Vietnam December 2012, demonstrated by the Haitian Government’s opening of its embassy in Hanoi in 2013 and the signing of a framework agreement on trade and investment with Vietnam.

The Haitian President said he hopes through Dung’s visit, both sides will reach a consensus on measures to expand cooperation in agriculture, energy, infrastructure development and expert exchange.

The leaders underscored the need to promote consultation and coordination in regional and international issues at multilateral forums in the current context of the fast changing and complicated global situation.

PM Dung took the occasion to extend State President Truong Tan Sang’s invitation to President Michel Martelly to pay an official visit to Vietnam.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung held talks with the Haitian President.

Following the meeting with President Michel Martelly, PM Dung held talks with his Haitian counterpart Laurent Salvador Lamothe.

PM Lamothe highlighted PM Dung’s visit as providing fresh impetus to deepening the friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

The two PMs consented to enhance the exchange of delegation at all levels, work towards the establishment of a joint committee for trade and investment, and expand cooperation in potential areas-- telecommunication, agriculture, food security, construction, and trade.

They pledged to encourage and create the best possible conditions for their business communities to improve mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two sides will conduct negotiations for a framework cooperation agreement, an agreement on investment encouragement and protection, and a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.

The two PMs also exchanged views on some regional and international issues of common concern and offered each other support at international organizations and multilateral forums for peace, stability and development in the world.

After the talks, the two government leaders signed a Joint Statement on the occasion of PM Dung’s visit to Haiti and witnessed the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation.

On the evening of the same day, Haitian PM Laurent Salvador Lamothe hosted a banquet in honour of PM Dung and his entourage.

PM meets top Haitian legislators

The Parliament of Haiti has highlighted Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit as an important event, opening up a new chapter in relations between Vietnam and Haiti.

On the morning of March 29 (Vietnam time) PM Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with President of the Senate Simon Dieuseul Desras and President of the House of Representatives Jacques Stevenson Thimoleon.

The Haitian legislators spoke highly of Vietnamese NA leaders’ participation in the visit which shows the two nations’ recognition of importance to enhancing the role played by the two legislative bodies in fostering the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Bilateral ties have been built on the basis of the mutual friendship, solidarity and support for the past struggles for national liberation and for the current development processes, they said.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the growing economic links in recent times demonstrated by food security cooperation and the efficient telecom model of NATCOM – a joint venture between the military-run telecom group of Vietnam (Viettel) and the Haitian Ministry of Economics and Finance.

PM Dung said his visit’s aim is to look for avenues to expand the bilateral cooperation in trade, construction, infrastructure development, energy and agriculture among others while examining ways to fine-tune the legal framework for the bilateral ties.

PM Dung used the occasion to convey NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s invitations to Haitian parliamentary leaders to pay official visits to Vietnam.

He said he hopes that Haitian NA representatives will come to attend the 132nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliament Union (IPU-132) scheduled to take place in Vietnam in March 2015.

During his stay in Haiti, PM Dung toured NATCOM headquarters and laid wreaths at the Haitian Heroes’ Memorial.

Dung and his entourage left Haiti for their home country on the same day, ending their successful trip to the Caribbean nation.

PM Dung begins visit to Haiti

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Haiti on March 28 to begin an official visit at the invitation of his Haitian counterpart Laurent Lamothe.

Dung and his delegation were warmly welcomed at Toussaint Louverture airport by PM Laurent Lamothe and many other officials.

The visit aims to discuss ways of deepening the growing Vietnam-Haiti relations and boosting trade and investment as well as South-South cooperation.

The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1997 and Haiti opened its embassy in Hanoi in December 2013.

Vietnam and Haiti have seen positive developments in their ties and maintained good cooperative relations at international organizations and multilateral forum.

Last year, PM Laurent Lamothe was the first Haiti’s senior leader to pay an official visit to Vietnam which helped elevate economics, trade, investment between the two nations to a higher level.

Vietnam’s imports from Haiti include garment and textile materials, paper pulp, iron scraps, and animal feed while its exports are rice, apparel, wood products, chemicals and plastic products and other commodities.

The two sides are accelerating the establishment of a joint committee on economic, trade and investment cooperation.

President Michel Martelly and PM Laurent Lamothe of Haiti will host an official welcome ceremony for PM Dung on the morning of March 28 (local time) at the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince.

Dung his one-day visit, PM Dung is expected to meet and hold talks with Haiti senior leaders to compare notes on measures aimed at fostering bilateral economic cooperation.

VOV/VNA