Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Slovenia have great potential to enhance cooperation across multiple domains such as labour, tourism, logistics, and import and export of agricultural products, former General Director of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS) Ales Cantarutti has said.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Cantarutti said that around eight years ago, when he was the State Secretary in charge of the economy, the Slovenian government decided to take Vietnam as one of the most important markets for Slovenia outside the European Union (EU).

That is why the Slovenian government prepared a special action plan to strengthen the cooperative relationship between Slovenian and Vietnamese businesses, he noted.

He said that a delegation of Slovenian businesses visited Vietnam at that time, during which the two sides discussed potential areas such as logistics and trade, tourism, and especially two-way import and export.

The next important step was the establishment of the Intergovernmental Committee for Economic Cooperation between the two nations, Cantarutti remarked, saying that this is a significant achievement as they have managed to resolve challenging differences not only between the two ministries but also the business communities.

According to the expert, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted economic cooperation between Slovenia and Vietnam, yet Vietnam remains central to the strategy of Slovenian businesses which are looking to expand cooperation into the Asian market.

Slovenia currently sees Vietnam as a gateway to the Asian market and hopes that Vietnamese businesses will tap Slovenia's EU membership to seek opportunities in the EU market with nearly 450 million consumers.

Economic cooperation between Slovenia and Vietnam has gradually recovered after the pandemic, and the CCIS organised several seminars to enhance business cooperation and increase delegation exchanges with Vietnam, he said.

Strengthening connections will open up opportunities for businesses from the two countries to ink contracts, he stressed, noting that many Slovenian companies are gradually expanding cooperation with Vietnamese partners.

The CCIS evaluates Vietnam as an attractive partner because it is a rapidly developing economy with a young population, which can bring opportunities for both the EU and Slovenia, he added.

Compared to some other economies in the region, Vietnam receives special attention from Slovenia because it is more compatible with the European nation, he emphasised.

Regarding the potential for cooperation, Cantarutti said that the traditional friendship between the two countries and the awareness among the Slovenian public of Vietnam provide a very favourable foundation for enhancing cooperation.

The CCIS and the Slovenian business community have also discussed with the Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia about the possibility of bringing Vietnamese labourers to work in Slovenia, as Slovenia is currently experiencing a labour shortage.

Cantarutti also menꦫtioned the prospects for cooperation between the two countries in knowledge-intensive sectors and new technologies, and collaboration between universities./.