This is the first State visit to Ireland by a Vietnamese head of state since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1996. The visit is of great significance, promoting political trust and mutual understanding, improving efficiency, deepening and opening a new stage of development for the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.
Ireland is a nation that has many similarities with Vietnam in terms of history and tradition of patriotism, will to rise up, diverse and unique culture. The two sides have much room and potential to strengthen cooperation and develop together. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said that during the visit, the two sides' senior leaders will discuss measures to promote extensive cooperation in many areas where Vietnam has demand and Ireland has strengths such as high-quality investment, science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, energy transformation, education and training, especially higher education.
Vietnam News Agency quoted Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK and Ireland Do Minh Hung as saying that General Secretary and President To Lam is expected to deliver an important policy speech on the strategic vision for the bilateral relationship in the new development period, visit a number of educational and training facilities, high technology, and receive a number of Irish businesses in the fields of semiconductor industry, high-tech agriculture, energy infrastructure, and is planning to approach and expand investment and business in Vietnam.
Ireland is currently Vietnam’s sixth largest trading partner in the EU market. Economic cooperation, especially trade, is now a major pillar in the bilateral relationship, based on the effective implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the upcoming EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) after being ratified by Ireland and the remaining EU members.
Bilateral trade turnover maintained positive growth momentum, reaching 3.5 billion USD in 2023 with export value from Vietnam to Ireland reaching more than 340 million USD, of which most imports from Ireland are input materials for production in Vietnam such as circuit boards and computer equipment. Two-way trade turnover in the first 7 months of this year reached more than 2.7 billion USD, up 42.5% over the same period in 2023, of which exports from Vietnam to Ireland reached more than 576 million USD, higher than the turnover of the whole year of 2023 and up 108.2% over the same period in 2023. Irish businesses are promoting investment projects in Vietnam, especially in areas where Ireland has strengths and Vietnam has great potential such as green technology, renewable energy, healthcare, innovation, and high-tech agriculture.
Ireland has a policy of prioritizing Vietnam as one of two Asian countries receiving development aid, focusing on the fields of education, gender equality, climate change response, support for ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and support for mine clearance... To date, Ireland has granted about 250 scholarships to Vietnamese students and researchers through the Irish Aid Full Scholarship Program implemented since 2009.
In addition, the two countries are continuing to promote the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland.
The State visit to Ireland by General Secretary and President To Lam will create new momentum for the two sides to strengthen cooperation in pillar areas and expand and promote cooperation in areas with great potential and in line with the development goals of the two countries.
