Vietnam, Haiti to further multifaceted ties

At a meeting with visiting Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Salvador Lamothe, in Hanoi on December 17, President Sang highly valued the two countries’ co-operation in telecommunications and asked both sides to promptly sign agreements to create a legal framework that will enhance ties, especially in economics, trade and investment.

Vietnam is willing to share knowledge and cooperate with Haiti in various fields, President Sang stressed.

Haitian Prime Ministe Lamothe said Haiti would like to learn from Vietnam ’s agricultural and food security experience and has always regarded highly Vietnam ’s role and position at regional and international forums.

He also suggested Vietnamese firms invest in textiles and garments for export to Haiti, adding that the country will create all favourable conditions for them to operate effectively.

The Haitian leader also met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday.

At the talks, PM Dung applauded the four-day visit - the first to Vietnam by a high-ranking Haitian leader – and said Haitian PM Lamothe’s presence will help strengthen the friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

He spoke highly of Haiti’s achievements in maintaining political stability, achieving socio-economic development and expanding foreign relations, and admired the Haitian Government and people’s efforts to overcome the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.

The Haitian leader praised the Vietnamese people’s struggle for national independence, freedom and reunification, and thanked Vietnam for its valuable assistance to Haiti after the earthquake.

He affirmed Haiti’s interest in developing co-operation with Vietnam in food security, telecommunications, trade, culture and education.

The two leaders agreed on measures to boost co-operation in science-technology, education, health, food security and poverty reduction. They also discussed increasing co-operation in the areas of trade, telecommunications, agriculture and construction and pledged to discuss the establishment of a long-term strategic partnership on food security.

The two sides agreed to work on legal mechanisms to increase bilateral ties and begin negotiations on issues such as investment promotion and protection and visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

Both leaders praised the success of NATCOM, a joint venture between Vietnam’s Military Telecoms Group (Viettel) and Haiti’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, and noted that the model should be expanded to other fields.

Haitian PM Lamothe voiced his support for ASEAN’s determination to settle the East Sea disputes through peaceful negotiations on the basis of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Following the talks, both PMs signed a Vietnam-Haiti Joint Communique and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a strategic investment partnership between Viettel and the Haiti Government.