Addressing the meeting, the Vietnamese side said the country could serve as a bridge for Slovak businesses to access the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market, while Slovakia, with its favorable location, logistics infrastructure and access to the E.U. market, could help Vietnamese businesses expand their operations in Europe.
State Secretary at the Slovak Ministry of the Economy Vladimir Simonak affirmed that Viet Nam is one of Slovakia's important trading partners in Southeast Asia, ranking third in Asia and 12th globally. Bilateral trade turnover increased from EUR 4.306 billion in 2024 to EUR 4.911 billion in 2025, representing a 14.1% increase.
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A view of the plenary session of the third meeting of the Viet Nam-Slovakia intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation in Bratislava, Slovakia, on September 15, 2026 |
Slovakia wishes to increase its exports to Viet Nam with a view to achieving a more balanced trade relationship, while noting that there remains considerable room for further cooperation between the two economies.
On that basis, the two sides agreed to continue finalizing the Action Plan for the Strategic Partnership. The two countries will maintain regular political consultations and coordinate at the United Nations and other multilateral forums. They will also continue to follow up on the outcomes of a business forum held in April this year to promote specific projects in areas including nuclear energy, water management, automation, cybersecurity, healthcare and mechanical engineering.
They also aim to increase bilateral trade in a more balanced manner, expand the presence of Slovak businesses in Viet Nam, and support Vietnamese companies in investing and doing business in Slovakia. Areas with significant potential include energy, renewable energy, water management, information technology, artificial intelligence, machinery, defense and food processing. Cooperation between their small- and medium-sized enterprises, technology transfer and research and development are encouraged.
Agriculture, science, technology and the environment were identified as priority areas, with a focus on soil protection, climate change adaptation, drought and water-resource management, food security, precision agriculture, digitization and sensor technology.
The two sides said they will strengthen cooperation between research institutes, promote expert exchanges, develop joint research projects, organize seminars and make use of programs within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
In labor, education and social security, they will explore the possibility of signing a social security agreement, while promoting legal and transparent labor mobility and protecting workers' rights.
Slovakia expressed interest in cooperation on training nurses and caregivers in the Slovak language to meet the country's workforce needs. The countries will also continue to expand educational cooperation and exchanges of students, lecturers and experts.
In culture and tourism, the two countries are set to further promote their respective heritage, arts and cultures and further leverage the role of the Vietnamese community in Slovakia, which was recognized as the country's 14th ethnic minority in 2023.
The two sides agreed to encourage exchanges of artistic delegations, exhibitions and cultural promotion activities, as well as the promotion of cuisine. They also supported study tours for tourism businesses and media organizations, while seeking to strengthen air connectivity and cooperation between localities.
Immediately following the plenary session, Vietnamese Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang and State Secretary at the Slovak Ministry of the Economy Simonak, representing the two governments, signed the minutes of the third meeting, recording the areas of cooperation and directions agreed.
Also within the framework of the event, the two committee chairs witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation to promote trade and investment between the Slovakia chamber of commerce with ASEAN countries and the Embassy of Viet Nam in Slovakia.
The MoU aims to establish a long-term cooperation framework, support business-to-business (B2B) connections and promote bilateral trade and investment activities.
The fourth meeting will be held in Hanoi in 2028.
Source: VNA