HA NOI: TRIPARTITE COOPERATION DISCUSSED AT VIETNAM - AFRICA FORUM

Ha Noi, May 28 (VNA) - Vietnamese and African officials have discussed ways to promote agricultural cooperation within the "three parties" frame work at the first day of the Viet Nam-Africa forum in Ha Noi on Wednesday, May 28, 2003.

The "three parties" frame work involving Viet Nam, an African country and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, is aimed at carrying out a special programme on food security. Many Vietnamese experts and technicians were sent to African countries to help local residents plant food crops, especially rice.

"The cooperation between Viet Nam and Africa in agriculture and rural development is the correct way and has shown to be very efficient. With technical guidance of Vietnamese experts, farmers have changed from raising animals with local food stuffs to semi intensive farming with the use of industrial feed", Bui Ba Bong, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said.

"Reasonably-priced Vietnamese farm produce such as rice, coffee, sugar, milk and pepper are also suited to consumers in African countries," he added.

A diplomat from the Republic of Congo hoped that Viet Nam experts would continue to share experiences with their counterparts and that cooperation would be extended to health care and education.

Other delegates and businessmen from Morocco, Sudan and other African countries have spoken highly of the iniatiative and are confident of finding more contacts and opportunities to boost business with Vietnamese counterparts.- Enditem

(Source: MFA)