This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic ties (March 22, 1973).
Belgium is Vietnam’s seventh biggest importer in the European Union (EU), after Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, France, Spain and Austria. Though being only a small country, Belgium has served as an important gateway for Vietnam’s commodities to access other Western European nations.
In 2017, Belgium had 62 investment projects with total capital of USD 595 million in Vietnam. Most projects are of small scale.
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PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Photo: VOV |
Meanwhile, Vietnam has invested in two projects in Brussels, including a USD 152,000 trade promotion center in Brussels and the Europe trade and investment joint stock company worth USD 90,000.
Since the two countries signed the Framework Agreement on Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation in 1977, Belgium has offered nearly USD 300 million in loans and non-refundable aid to Vietnam, with about 60 percent non-refundable aid.
Their cooperation programs have mainly targeted water resource management, waste treatment, State management, institutional enhancement and administrative reform, education, agriculture and rural development, and health care.
Belgium ended its non-refundable aid to Vietnam in July 2018.
The Vietnam-Belgium Joint Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation meets every three years to review and set directions for cooperation programs and projects between the two countries.
The two sides are teaming up in 18 research projects with a total funding of USD 8 million in the form of cooperation between universities and research institutes, expert exchange and implementation of joint research programs.
Each year, Belgium provides about EUR 2 million for Vietnam’s education-training sector through cooperation programs between universities and research institutes. Nearly 300 Vietnamese students are studying and doing research in the country.
Besides, many joint projects on languages, scientific research capacity improvement and personnel training have also been launched at local level.
PM Phuc’s Belgium visit is made at the invitation of his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel. It is part of his trip to Europe from October 14-21 to attend the 12th ASEM Summit (ASEM 12) and the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Summit (P4G) and pay officials visits to Austria, Belgium, Demark and a working visit to the European Union (EU).
Source: VNA