Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has taken off to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for high-level bilateral engagements in the Southeast nation, including meetings with the President of Vietnam, President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.
Professor Osinbajo, who left the shores of Nigeria today, December 3, according to his spokesman, Laolu Akande, is expected to have similar meeting with that country’s Vice President, Vo Thi Aah Xuan; Prime Minister, Phạm Minh Chính and other government officials as well as business community.
Laolu Akande said that though Nigeria and Vietnam have maintained long-standing diplomatic relations since 1976, but that Osinbajo will be the second Nigerian high ranking incumbent government official to visit the Southeast Asian country after President Olusegun Obasanjo who visited in 2005.
“While in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Vice President is expected to witness the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Agreements on investment between Nigeria and Vietnam.
“He will also hold high level diplomatic discussions with his Vietnamese counterpart, Vice President Vo Thi Aah Xuan and the Prime Minister on issues of trade, commerce, agriculture, technology and innovation among others.
Laolu’s statement said that Vice President Osinbajo is expected to also participate in a Business Forum with the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce with representatives from both countries.
“With the opportunities existing in agriculture & technology in Nigeria and Vietnam, discussions would focus on mutual benefits from effective collaboration in particular economic sectors so as to deepen the friendly and trade relations of both countries.”
Akande recalled that the then Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, had visited Nigeria in October 2019, and met with Professor Osinbajo, other senior Nigerian government officials and also interacted with the Nigerian-Vietnam Business Association.
“As the then Deputy Prime Minister, who was accompanied to Nigeria by senior Vietnamese Government officials and businessmen, noted, Nigeria is Vietnam’s largest trading partner in Africa. Indeed, trade between both countries stood at US$280 million in 2014 and increased to over US$500 million in 2019.”
The statement said that the Vice President is expected to return to Nigeria on December 7.
