Enterprises boost Vietnam-Mongolia cooperation

On the morning of June 22, a delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development led by Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam visited the Embassy and met with Vietnamese businesses in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation will attend the Vietnam - Mongolia Business Forum.

Accompanying the Deputy Minister was Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department Phung Huu Hao, and representatives of the Department of Animals, Offices of the Ministry.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said that Vietnam and Mongolia must strengthen cooperation and take advantage of opportunities in difficulties and crises to create a new driving force for growth and anticipate new challenges for breakthrough development.

According to the leader of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the event takes place at a time when countries globally are transitioning to the stage of socio-economic recovery and development after the pandemic and in the context of opportunities, advantages, and difficulties and challenges are intertwined. 

"Today's forum is a vivid demonstration of Vietnam's policy to consider enterprises of the two countries Vietnam and Mongolia as an important breakthrough force on the front line promoting economic and trade cooperation between our two countries", Deputy Minister Nam shared.

As the chair of the Vietnam Sub-Committee in the Vietnam-Mongolia Intergovernmental Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is committed to supporting and accompanying businesses, with the desire to develop the cooperation relationship between the two countries comprehensively.

The working schedule evidence this commitment in Mongolia of the MARD's delegation. One day after attending the forum, the delegation will work with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Mongolia and visit livestock and slaughter facilities in the country.

On June 24, the delegation will work with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry and greet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia. On the same day, leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will work with the Vietnam - Mongolia Friendship Association before returning to Hanoi on June 26.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam introduced Vietnam's potential and strengths in agricultural development. Many agricultural products, such as rice, cashew nuts, rubber, fruit, seafood, and wood, have international brand value and high competitiveness.

The export turnover of Vietnam's agricultural, forestry, and fishery products in 2021 reached over US$ 48.6 billion. Vietnam's goods have reached over 180 countries and territories worldwide.

While Vietnam has the potential to develop agricultural and forestry products, Mongolia has favorable natural conditions for the development of the herbal and livestock industries, with many unique cultural features to vigorously develop the tourism industry with the geographical position as a transit point East-West.

Many products are considered to be supported together. Still, the two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Mongolia in 2021 was more than US$ 80 million, reaching 80% of the target set at the 17th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committees in December 2019 (US$ 100 million).

Assessing this, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam pointed out some reasons. He emphasized the limitations of transport connections between the two countries.

"Up to now, freight activities have been mainly carried out based on the railway route through China with limited norms and volume. Currently, with the proposal of businesses and agencies, Ministries and agencies of the two countries are studying and considering opening an air route and creating favorable conditions to promote the expansion of transport via the railway," Nam said. 

Before the visit of the Mission of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the end of April 2022, the Mongolian Ambassador to Vietnam, Jigjee Sereejav, came to greet and work with Minister Le Minh Hoan. During this meeting, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development commented that economic cooperation between Vietnam and Mongolia is becoming more open and practical.

He also pointed out: "In the trend of multilateralization, countries need to find each other so that their people can inherit the good results from close cooperation."