Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that Vietnamalways attaches importance to developing relations with South Africa during areception in Hanoi on August 22 for South African Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula.

PMPhuc said Vietnam highly values South Africa’s role in regional and globalissues as well as at international organisations such as the United Nations,Non-Aligned Movement, G20 and group of five major emerging national economiesBRICS.

Hetold his guest that Vietnam has launched a project on developing  ties with Middle East and African countriesfor the 2016 – 2025 period, in which South Africa is considered its leadingpartner in Africa.

ThePM spoke highly of the maintenance of Vietnam-South Africa defence policydialogue, which, he said, has contributing to the friendship and cooperationbetween the two countries.

Praisingthe outcomes of the earlier talks between the two defence ministries, PM Phucaffirmed that the Vietnamese government will create favourable conditions forthe development of bilateral defence relations, thereby promoting the Vietnam-SouthAfrica partnership for cooperation and development.

Mapisa-Nqakula,for her part, said South Africa is now in the process of reform, expressing herhope that the delegation will learn from Vietnam’s socio-economic developmentexperience during the visit.

Havinginformed the PM about the outcomes of her talks with Vietnamese Minister ofNational Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, she said both sides agreed to enhancecooperation in potential fields, especially in counter-terrorism and the UnitedNations peacekeeping mission.

TheSouth African side shared its experience in building army medical and engineercorps forces.

Thetwo sides explored the possibility of providing mutual support in the UNpeacekeeping mission, especially in South Sudan and several African nations,and discussed ways to promote collaboration in defence industry and technology transfer,the minister aded.-VNA