Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamesebusinesses have huge opportunities to operate in French-speaking Africancountries, Trade Counsellor in Algeria Hoang Duc Nhuan has said.

Nhuan, who is also in charge of trade affairs in Gambia, Mali, Niger andSenegal, said with a combined population of 570 million, the 32 French-speakingcountries in Africa are expected to form a new economic centre of the world.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the sidelines of anonline workshop on economic and trade cooperation potential and prospectsbetween Vietnam and the French-speaking African countries, the official saidVietnam’s export revenue to the countries reached 1.7 billion USD in 2019, up6.3 percent, and its import value, 2.8 billion USD, up 12 percent year-on-year.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the two-way tradeincreased from 2.7 billion USD in 2015 to 4.5 billion USD last year, making up88 percent of the total trade between Vietnam and Africa, with an annual growthrate of 13.6 percent.

Vietnam has maintained trade ties with major partners in the region such asIvory Coast, Ghana, Egypt, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Morocco, theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Togo, Mozambique and Benin.

Vietnam exports rice, mobile phones and components, computers, electronics andmotorbikes to the countries, while importing production materials like crudecashew nuts, cotton, and wood and timber products.

At the workshop, representatives from African organisations and businessesspoke highly of Vietnam’s role and position in Southeast Asia, and expressedtheir wish for stronger economic, trade and investment ties.

They hailed the Vietnamese government’s efforts in containing COVID-19 andrecovering the national economy post pandemic.

Chékou Oussouman, Regionalrepresentative of the Asia and Pacific office of the International Organisationof La Francophonie, said Vietnam has been seen as the gateway for Africanbusinesses to access Southeast Asia.

African countries would also become attractive destinations for Asianenterprises through Vietnam, he added.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung said Vietnam alwaysattaches importance to cooperation with the French-speaking community, and willmake more contributions for a stronger and united community.

Vietnam is an important partner of many African countries in the Asia-Pacificregion, he said, adding that Vietnam is willing to work as a bridge between theFrench-speaking African nations and Asia-Pacific during the implementation ofthe Francophone economic development strategy./.