Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on September 23 (local time) held a number of bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly’s 76th session in New York.

At a meeting with Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Son highlighted the progress of and high potential in bilateral trade, suggesting that the two sides work more closely together to prepare for the third meeting of the bilateral Joint Committee and the second Political Consultation. He also proposed that Qatar strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in energy and liquefied gas supply, while continuing to receive more Vietnamese workers to work in the oil and gas sector.

Meeting Belarusian FM Vladimir Makei, the Vietnamese official underlined the need to further foster bilateral collaboration, especially in economy and trade. He proposed that both sides maintain the exchange of delegations at all levels, and asked for Belarus’s support to Vietnam’s running for a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council in the 2023-2025 tenure.

During a discussion with his counterpart from Côte d’Ivoire Kandia Kamissoko Camara, Son affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening ties with traditional friends in Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire. He suggested that the two countries bolster cooperation in agriculture, trade, coffee industry, farm produce processing and mining.

At a meeting with Cameroon’s FM Lejeune Mbella Mbella, the Vietnamese FM said that both sides should further promote trade and agricultural partnership, while asking Cameroon to support and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest and operate in the country.

Meeting Deputy Prime Minister and FM of Congo Christophe Lutundula, Son stressed that Vietnam hopes to expand and enhance partnership with African partners, including Congo. He underscored that Vietnam is willing to send agricultural experts to support Congo and suggested that the two countries increase coordination to mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations (1961-2021), while maintaining the exchange of delegations, fostering cooperation in agriculture, mining, health care and education-training, as well as collaboration at the UN and international organisations. Son asked for Congo’s support in setting up relations with the American Union (AU).

During his meeting with UN Under-Secretary General and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, Son highly valued the positive and effective assistance from the UNDP to Vietnam, and welcomed the UNDP prioritising cooperation in poverty reduction, post-crisis management and recovery, and clean and green energy development.

He said that the UNDP’s cooperation programmes should suit orientations given in the socio-economic development strategy of Vietnam in the 2021-2030 period. He expressed his hope that the organisation continue to give policy consultation to Vietnam, initially in COVID-19 adaptation and post-pandemic recovery and development.

Steiner showed a hope that Vietnam will strengthen cooperation with the UNDP in sharing experience with other countries, pledging that the UNDP is willing to work with Vietnam in green growth, institution modernisation, innovation promotion, and climate change response.

Also on September 23, FM Son also attended the ASEAN-US Conference held in both in-person and virtual formats, during which he welcomed the US's active and responsible contributions to peace, stability and cooperation in the region, and highly valued its helpful support to ASEAN countries in the COVID-19 fight. He proposed that the US continue to prioritise the provision of COVID-19 vaccines to ASEAN members.

The same day, Deputy FM Dang Hoang Giang attended the Ministerial Meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism. He called on the international community to focus on COVID-19 vaccine production, handing over and presenting the vaccines to the COVAX Facility, eliminating all trans-border barriers against vaccine supply, and strengthening cooperation in vaccine production and tecnology transfer, considering vaccines as a common asset of the world.

Giang proposed the increase of international collaboration in ensuring all countries' access to oxygen supplies, test kits, medicines as well as opportunities to enhance their capacity in detecting and controlling new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

He also underlined the significance of strengthening the exchange of experience in post-pandemic rebuilding, assisting and accompanying developing countries in improving their resilience in health care, economy and environment as well as economic recovery and development towards green, sustainable and more inclusive development, ensuring that no one is left behind./.