President Bola Tinubu has stated that Nigeria is committed to deepening its ties with Vietnam, particularly in trade, investment, energy, mining, resource sustainability, infrastructure, and climate change action.

Mr Tinubu made the remark in a statement by Bui Quoc Hung, the Vietnamese ambassador to Nigeria, on Monday.

The statement said the president spoke at a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who was on an official visit to Nigeria to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

Mr Tinubu said Vietnam had been a key partner of Nigeria in Southern Asia, which underscored his eagerness to fortify the bonds between them.

He, however, highlighted the significance of fostering economic, trade and investment ties, given the steady growth observed in their bilateral trade exchanges.

Mr Chinh, who extended his country’s President Luong Cuong’s invitation to Mr Tinubu to officially visit Vietnam, expressed appreciation for the warm welcome accorded to him.

He conveyed Vietnam’s eagerness to strengthen bilateral cooperation while acknowledging the two countries’ long-standing friendly relations, which date back to 1976 when they established diplomatic ties.

The statement, however, said that both leaders reached an agreement which included a commitment to boost bilateral trade and explore new avenues for collaboration, particularly in sustainable resource utilisation and climate change mitigation efforts.

According to the statement, Mr Chinh also had a meeting with the director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist who has played a role in advancing free trade and economic progress in Africa.

(NAN)