Vietnam's Party General Secretary and President To Lam on August 24 received President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire Patrick Achi , along with a high-level delegation from the Ivorian National Assembly, who are on an official visit to Vietnam from August 23 to 26, 2026.
Welcoming the visit of the Ivorian National Assembly President, General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that this is the first visit by the head of a legislative body from an African country to Vietnam since the beginning of the 16th National Assembly term.
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Côte d'Ivoire (1975 - 2025), the Vietnamese top leader expressed confidence that the visit would open a new chapter in the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries and their legislative bodies.
Appreciating the positive developments in bilateral relations, especially Côte d'Ivoire becoming Vietnam's largest trading partner in Africa by 2025, the Vietanamese leader suggested that the two countries continue to strengthen cooperation for mutual benefits and contribute to peace, stability, and development in both regions.
In addition to enhancing delegation exchanges, contacts at all levels, and sharing legislative experiences, the General Secretary and President urged the parliaments of both countries to play a bridging role, promoting bilateral relations, particularly in urging, supervising negotiations for, signing, and implementation of cooperation agreements.
Regarding the economy, General Secretary and President To Lam proposed that the two countries expand and diversify export-import goods beyond traditional items like raw cashew nuts and rice, while also seeking solutions to achieve a more balanced bilateral trade.
The two parliaments were encouraged to establish a mechanism for exchanging information on new policies and regulations in the fields of economy, trade, and investment, thereby supporting businesses from both sides in accessing each other's markets more conveniently.
The General Secretary and President also suggested that Côte d'Ivoire facilitate Vietnamese investors in participating in investments in the country, especially in areas where Vietnam has strengths such as agriculture, telecommunications, oil and gas, digital transformation, cybersecurity, mineral extraction and processing, agricultural product processing, infrastructure construction, seaports, urban development, and electric vehicles.
President of the Ivorian National Assembly Patrick Achi expressed gratitude for the warm and cordial reception by the Party, State, and people of Vietnam. He also expressed admiration for Vietnam's development achievements after 40 years of economic renovation, considering it a source of inspiration and reference for African countries.
Regarding the talks between him and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, President Patrick Achi noted that the two countries share many similarities in aspirations and development conditions. He expressed a desire for Côte d'Ivoire to become a destination for Vietnamese businesses, thereby expanding the market to the West African region.
President Patrick Achi also hoped that the parliaments of the two countries would become regular forums for dialogue, experience exchange, and promoting cooperation in agriculture, processing and manufacturing industries, digital transformation, private investment, human resource development, and attracting financial resources for development.
On this occasion, President Patrick Achi conveyed an invitation from President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d'Ivoire to General Secretary and President To Lam to visit Côte d'Ivoire soon.
The top leader of Vietnam asked the foreign ministries of the two countries to discuss and agree on a suitable time for the visit.
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