President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina made the statement at a meeting with National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien in Antananarivo on March 26.
He underlined the special traditional relations between Vietnam and Madagascar which has endured over historical periods.
The two countries have strengths and great cooperation potential in agricultural production, he said, adding that Madagascar boasts vast amounts of arable land and abundant labour forces, while Vietnam has experience and advanced agricultural technology.
The President called on Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Madagascar and said the Economic Development Board of Madagascar (EDBM) will be responsible for promoting investment between the two countries.
For his part, Hien thanked Madagascan people for their valuable assistance to Vietnam in the cause of national liberation, building, and development.
Vietnam always treasures its ties with Madagascar through the promotion of high-level delegation exchanges, he said, adding that this is the first time a high-ranking delegation from the National Assembly has visited Madagascar, which marks a new milestone in the bilateral traditional relations.
He also informed the outcomes of his earlier meetings with senior officials from Madagascar, including the top legislator, the minister of trade and consumption, and the foreign minister.
The two sides affirmed the sound political relations between Vietnam and Madagascar and their mutual support at multilateral forums. They also reached consensus on a number of issues, including cooperation potentials in various fields, particularly agriculture, seafood, telecommunications, and education.
Regarding trade, Hien suggested the two sides exchange commodities in which they hold strengths. For example, Vietnam will export rice to Madagascar, while importing cashew nuts and vanilla from the market.
With strength in information-technology and telecommunications, notably the military-run group Viettel, which is investing in many countries around the world, including African nations, there is plenty of room for Vietnam and Madagascar to cooperate in this field, he said.
He also proposed a number of measures to promote investment partnerships, such as signing agreements on double tax avoidance, inter-bank payments, and investment promotion and protection.
The same day, NA Vice Chairman Hien held a meeting with Madagascan Prime Minister Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana, in which he informed the host of Vietnam’s socio-economic development in the past as well as the cooperation potential for the two countries in various sectors, including the collaboration between the two law-making bodies.
The Madagascan government leader said that bilateral cooperation must be concretised by the implementation of specific plans, such as the signing of a free trade agreement between the two nations.
Earlier, the Vietnamese official held a meeting with Speaker of the Parliament of Madagascar Jean Max Rakotomamonjy on March 23. Both sides reached consensus on bolstering parliamentary ties and consideration of the establishment of the friendship parliamentarian group.
During their stay in Madagascar from March 23-27, Hien and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation met with the President of the Senate, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, the Minister of Commerce and Consumption, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister at the Presidency in charge of Agriculture and Livestock.
The delegation paid a floral tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his statue in Antananarivo and visited the Vietnamese community in the country.
