Attending the visit was Head of the Propaganda and Education Board of the HCMC Party Committee Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee in HCMC Tran Kim Yen, Head of the HCMC Office of the Commission for Mass Mobilization of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Vu Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Council Pham Thanh Kien, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Ngo Minh Chau and Head of the Mass Mobilization Commission of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong.
At the receiving meeting hosted by Venezuelan Agriculture and Land Minister Wilmar Castro Soteldo, Standing Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai expressed his joy at the traditional friendship between the two Parties and countries that was established by former President Hugo Chávez and senior leaders of Vietnam. The visit also marked the 35th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries (December 18, 1989 - 2024).
Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee Ngo Minh Chau said that Venezuela has always been keen on promoting agricultural cooperation with Vietnam. Recently, Minister of Agricultural Production and Lands Wilmar Castro Soteldo traveled to Vietnam to participate in the Vietnam-Hau Giang International Rice Festival 2023 which was held in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang from December 11 - 15, 2023. Currently, HCMC has strengths in high-tech agriculture, circular agriculture, and organic agriculture to develop new seed varieties and animal breeds serving production and exports.
Leaders of the HCMC Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Management Board of the Hi-tech Agricultural Park of the city provided information about their strengths and the need for investment cooperation to Venezuelan businesses.
According to the Minister of Agriculture and Land of Venezuela, Wilmar Castro Soteldo, Venezuela is interested in the field of high-tech agriculture and focuses on developing small-scale high-yield agriculture, especially in rice cultivation. Venezuela needs support from Vietnam in training experts, researching rice varieties, and developing pest-resistant rice varieties. Additionally, Venezuela can help Vietnam research potato varieties, biotechnological processes, and the breeding of goats and sheep.
Standing Vice Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai said that the southern metropolis and Venezuela have much potential for development, especially in the agricultural sector and agricultural product import-export.
HCMC is not a locality with a strength of traditional agriculture but high-tech and urban agriculture, he added.
In recent years, the agricultural sector of the city has applied advanced science and technology in producing high-quality seed varieties, animal breeds, and aquatic species, strengthening the application of high technology and biotechnology in agriculture production and developing hybridization and selection of plant and animal varieties in accordance with modern urban agriculture. In addition, HCMC is home to the headquarters of many agricultural processing, packaging, import, and export enterprises. The city serves as a gateway for Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products to reach the world market and for goods from foreign countries to access the Vietnamese market.
Vice Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai proposed the two sides enhance exchanges to share experiences in agricultural production, and scientific research cooperation in agriculture production, especially in high-tech agriculture, circular agriculture, organic agriculture, and green agriculture.
He also suggested connectivity between businesses of the two sides to promote trade in agricultural and aquatic products.
HCMC’s leaders hoped that Venezuela would create favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural and aquatic products, to reach Venezuelan businesses and people.
On the same day, the HCMC’s delegation had a working session with the International Investment Center of Venezuela.
Head of the country’s international investment center, Alex Sabb said that the center is responsible for attracting FDI into Venezuela, and is ready to cooperate with businesses from HCMC. Currently, Venezuela is gradually overcoming difficulties in stabilizing and controlling inflation and ensuring security. Venezuela is a country with the most natural resources such as oil, gas, gold, and other metals. It has 13 million hectares of cultivation, and production, meeting 90 percent of domestic demand.
Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People's Council, Pham Thanh Kien expressed his joy at the Vietnam-Venezuela relationship that continues to be maintained in various fields, particularly in the political and diplomatic areas.
However, he noted that the current trade relations between Vietnam and Venezuela do not yet reflect the potential and the good traditional friendship between the two countries. In 2023, the total bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Venezuela reached US$31.52 million, presenting a decrease compared to 2022, with the reduction mainly in Vietnam's exports to Venezuela.
In addition, the cooperation between HCMC and Venezuela remains relatively modest. The South American country has two direct investment projects in the city with a total investment capital of approximately US$22,000. The average annual import-export turnover is around US$4 million.
HCMC is the country’s center for economy, culture, science, technology, and international exchange. Therefore, the city’s leaders believe that the southern metropolis and Venezuela have much potential for development, especially in the economic sector.
Vice Chairman of the HCMC People's Council Pham Thanh Kien proposed that the two sides organize trade and investment promotional activities to introduce the business environment in Venezuela and Vietnam, focusing on HCMC’s business environment and connectivity between businesses of the two localities sides
In his conclusion, Vice Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee, Nguyen Ho Hai affirmed that the city is ready to strengthen relations, contribute to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Venezuela, promote the strengths of each side, develop solidarity, share common views on international issues and interests in building and developing the country.
