Vietnam hopes to earn at least 200 million USD in exports to Egypt

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is hoping to earn at least 200 million USD in exports to
Egypt this year, up 25 percent on 2009, said Dang Ngoc Quang, the Vietnamese Trade
Counsellor in Egypt .

“I believe that the set target is within reach as Vietnam is promoting new
products in this market,” he said.

He added that the Vietnamese Trade Office in Egypt would continue to carry out
trade promotion activities in the country, while increasing visits by business
delegations. He also said Vietnam would boost dissemination of information via
books and newspapers, while encouraging domestic firms to participate in seminars
and trade fairs in Egypt .

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Egypt remained steady over the past year,
despite numerous difficulties caused by the global economic crisis, he said.

Vietnam earned about 165 million USD from exports to Egypt last year and
imported products worth nearly 20 million USD.

However, some key Vietnamese exports, such as seafood and coffee, saw a sharp
reduction in turnover last year.

Bucking the trend, Vietnam earned more from the export of tobacco, tea, and
cloth, Quang said.

Other key Vietnamese exports to Egypt included agricultural products, such as
pepper, rice, coconut, coffee, and agricultural machinery.

The two countries plan to convene a meeting of their joint committees in 2010 to
review and implement a wide range of activities in various fields, including
economics, trade and tourism.

At a trade meeting in Cairo in 2008, Egyptian officials proposed boosting
bilateral cooperation in seafood, renewable energy, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, IT
and tourism.
The two sides signed a number of cooperation agreements covering oil and gas,
tourism, small-sized business development and the organising of forums and
fairs.-Enditem