General Secretary and President To Lam holds talks with President of Ireland

On the morning of October 2 (local time), following an official and solemn welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, General Secretary and President To Lam, along with Irish President Michael D. Higgins, co-chaired talks between the high-level delegations of both nations.

During the discussions, President Higgins warmly welcomed General Secretary and President To Lam on his first official visit to Ireland. He commended Vietnam’s foreign policy and its guiding principles, stressing the importance of Vietnam’s role and influence in the Asia-Pacific. President Higgins also emphasized the strong commonalities between the two nations in their struggles for national independence, noting that there are no areas or topics where the two sides cannot engage in dialogue or cooperation.

President Higgins reflected on his visit to Vietnam in 2016 with fond memories and expressed admiration for Vietnam’s socio-economic progress, international integration, and its dedication to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in recent years. He also expressed his sympathy for the damage Vietnam sustained from Typhoon Yagi.

General Secretary and President To Lam extended his gratitude to President Higgins for the warm and respectful reception given to the Vietnamese delegation. He reaffirmed that Vietnam values its friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Ireland, and he acknowledged the Irish government’s prioritization of Vietnam in its development cooperation policy under the "Global Ireland" strategy, aimed at strengthening engagement in the Asia-Pacific region by 2025.

To further strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, both leaders agreed to promote the exchange of delegations at all levels, particularly high-level ones, and to actively implement existing cooperation mechanisms.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam was pleased to announce that the Vietnamese Government has decided to establish a Vietnamese Embassy in Ireland, with the necessary procedures already underway. Both leaders expressed their belief that this decision will mark a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations, serving the common interests of the peoples of both countries.

In terms of economic, trade, and investment cooperation, the two leaders affirmed that this is a key pillar of their partnership, showing positive growth, with two-way trade reaching USD 3.5 billion in 2024. They emphasized the need to make full use of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), enhance trade and investment connectivity, and support business communities from both nations. The leaders set a goal of increasing bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2026, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

President Higgins emphasized that Vietnam is Ireland’s leading trade partner in the region and noted that there is significant potential for further cooperation. He acknowledged Vietnam’s request to accelerate the ratification of the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to create more opportunities for collaboration and investment between Vietnamese and Irish businesses. He also expressed hope that Vietnam would continue to create favorable conditions for the export of high-quality agricultural products and food from Ireland.

Both leaders welcomed the establishment of a Strategic Partnership on Higher Education between Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training and Ireland’s Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science. They also recognized the significance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and leading Irish universities. The leaders agreed that education is a priority area of cooperation, contributing to improving the quality of training, developing a skilled workforce, and promoting scientific research and innovation in Vietnam.

To enhance mutual understanding and strengthen ties between the two nations, the leaders agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges, cultural and artistic cooperation, tourism, and partnerships between localities.

Both sides agreed to create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese communities living and working in each other's countries, encouraging them to contribute to socio-economic development and serve as bridges for strengthening the friendly relations between Vietnam and Ireland.

During the talks, the two sides also held in-depth discussions on regional security issues of mutual concern, such as the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. They called on all parties involved to protect civilians, engage in dialogue, and resolve conflicts through peaceful means, based on international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in multilateral forums, including ASEAN-EU and the United Nations, in addressing global challenges such as climate change, food security, and ensuring stable supply chains.

The two leaders reaffirmed their support for ASEAN’s position on the East Sea issue, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, cooperation, and development in the region. They called for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his hope that Ireland would continue providing development assistance to Vietnam in priority areas such as green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, information technology, digital transformation, and sustainable development.