The agreement came after a conference held in Rome, Italy, on February 26 reviewing the implementation of the Vietnam-Italy Action Plan in 2013-2014 and outlining the 2015-2016 plans.
Conference participant, Efisio Luigi Marras, General Director for Italian Globalisation and Global Affairs under the Ministry of Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Italian Government always gives priority to fostering its co-operation with Vietnam.
He stressed that the two nations have effectively coordinated to nurture their strategic partnership.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Italian Ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy highlighted the significance of achievements in the 2013-2014 period, saying that such positive outcomes contributed to promoting the bilateral relations in all fields, especially in economics, trade, investment, education, people-to-people exchange, security-defence, and military technology.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long thanked the Italian ministries and sectors for their active co-operation in recent times, saying it helped promote Vietnam’s image widely in Italy and in Europe in general.
The Vietnam-Italy relations have constantly been strengthened through the exchange of high-level visits, especially with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi making the first Italian PM’s official visit to Vietnam during the two countries’ 40-year anniversary of diplomatic ties.
The launch of the Italian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in November 2014 manifested the Italian Government’s policy of treasuring all-around co-operation with Vietnam.
The two nations have established political dialogue mechanisms at deputy foreign minister and deputy defence minister-levels, while forming the Joint-Committee on Economic Co-operation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, as well as arranging a series of visits and working sessions at all levels.
A large number of co-operative projects in science research, training and education were signed, and cultural exchange activities were organised during the period.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and Italy grew steadily at 25-30 percent annually, hitting US$3.6 billion in 2014. The figure is hoped to reach US$5 billion in 2016. Italy is now an important market for Vietnam’s exports.
On the same day, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long had a meeting with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Benedetto Della Vedova.
