Hanoi (VNA) – Minister ofForeign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on July 6 received outgoing Ambassador GiorgioAliberti, head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Vietnam, appreciatinghis guest’s active role and effective contributions to the Vietnam - EU comprehensivepartnership and cooperation.

Congratulating Aliberti on fulfillinghis term from 2019 to 2023 in Vietnam, Minister Son highly valued the EU andits member countries’ donation of vaccine and medical supplies amid theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam attaches great importance toand wishes to enhance relations with the EU, one of its most important partners,he affirmed.

The official also spoke highly of theEU’s role in promoting the establishment of the Just Energy TransitionPartnership (JETP) between Vietnam and international partners. He called on thebloc to continue helping Vietnam implement cooperation in this regard while accelerating the ratification of the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA) by the remaining member countries’ parliaments to help make newbreakthroughs in bilateral economic ties.

At the meeting, both host and guestnoted with satisfaction that the Vietnam - EU relations have been growingstrongly in such areas as politics - diplomacy, defence - security, science -technology, cyber-security, education - training, and climate change response. Theyagreed to maintain mutual visits and meetings at all levels, especially highlevels.

The enforcement of the EU - Vietnam FreeTrade Agreement (EVFTA) since August 2020 has helped turn the EU into the fifthlargest trading partner and investor of Vietnam. Bilateral trade has increasedcontinually, reaching 62.2 billion USD in 2022, up 14.2% from the previousyear. The EU is currently the biggest supplier of official developmentassistance (ODA) for the country, according to the officials.

For his part, Aliberti thanked theForeign Ministry, other ministries, sectors, and localities of Vietnam forsupporting activities of the EU Delegation and himself during his term.

Echoing his host’s view on bilateralrelations, he thanked Vietnam’s donation of medical supplies to EU countriesin the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and also spoke highly of thecountry’s culture of solidarity with and support for the international communityamid trying times.

Perceiving that the Southeast Asiannation is a regional pioneer in green and energy transition, the ambassadoraffirmed that the EU will step up implementing the policies on cooperation withthe region, and the JETP that the EU acts as the coordinator between Vietnamand partner countries.

The EU treasures the development ofrelations with Vietnam on the basis of political trust, intensive and extensiveeconomic connections, and huge cooperation potential, particularly in newdevelopment fields and trends of the world like energy and green transition, tohelp reach the Sustainable Development Goals, he noted.

He held that Vietnam has made greatefforts to secure the EVFTA, a stepping stone for bilateral cooperation, andthat the EU has also recommended its member countries ratify the EVIPA early tofoster multi-faceted ties.

The diplomat also suggested bothsides soon build a plan to mobilise resources for the JETP implementation inorder to create conditions for expanding partnerships in investment, business,and sustainable development.

He pledged that in his new positions,he will keep contributing to the enhancement of the Vietnam - EU comprehensivepartnership and cooperation./.