Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Deputy Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee and Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, on June 5, hosted a meeting with Mr. Kanat Tumysh, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Mr. Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and Mr. Bolat Duisenov, Chairman of the Board of Coteccons Construction JSC.
HCMC Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc expressed appreciation for the growing partnerships between Vietnam—particularly Ho Chi Minh City—and Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. He noted that following the planned administrative merger of HCMC with Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau provinces, the city would significantly expand its development potential in urban planning, industrial growth, seaport logistics, finance, high-tech sectors, and marine tourism. This, he emphasized, would establish a stronger foundation for regional connectivity and international integration.
He further underlined the city’s emphasis on upgrading its infrastructure—including road, metro rail, beltway, and expressway systems—as part of its push toward a modern, synchronized development model. Confident in the strong political trust Vietnam shares with both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc said he believed HCMC's cooperation with cities and enterprises from both countries would continue to grow. He affirmed the city's readiness to create favorable conditions for deeper international engagement.
Kazakhstan's Ambassador Kanat Tumysh highlighted that the elevation of Vietnam–Kazakhstan relations to a Strategic Partnership in May 2025 marked a major step forward and would provide momentum for expanding ties, including with HCMC. Kazakhstan, he said, is eager to share its expertise and participate in infrastructure development projects in the city. To formalize cooperation, the Kazakh capital Astana hopes to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HCMC in key sectors such as transportation infrastructure, industry, tourism, and fintech.
Azerbaijani Ambassador Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade also emphasized Azerbaijan’s intention to broaden cooperation beyond traditional areas like energy and oil and gas—which have long been cornerstones of Vietnam-Azerbaijan relations—to include tourism, finance, and infrastructure development in HCMC. He proposed an MoU between Baku and HCMC to deepen cooperation in the near future and invited HCMC leaders to attend a global cities conference set to take place in Azerbaijan in 2026.
