European Council president begins official visit to Vietnam

Costa was welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by senior Vietnamese officials including Nguyen Dac Vinh, chairman of the law-making National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs; Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Nguyen Van Thao, Ambassador and head of the Vietnamese Mission to the European Union (EU).

Representing the EU side was Julien Guerrier, EU Ambassador to Vietnam.

Costa was accompanied by Anna-Maria Boura, Chief Foreign Policy Advisor of the EC President; Veronika Şentürk Musilová, Foreign Policy Adviser; and Maria Tomasik, spokesperson of the President’s Office.

During his two-day visit, Costa is scheduled to meet with Vietnam’s top leaders and visit the Hanoi Metro Line No. 3 project, co-financed by the European Investment Bank.

This is Costa’s first visit to Vietnam in his capacity as President of the European Council.

The visit takes place as Vietnam-EU relations continue to reach new heights after more than 35 years of diplomatic ties.

Bilateral trade has increased by 40 percent over the five years since the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2020.

The EU is currently Vietnam’s fourth-largest trading partner, third-largest export market, and fifth-largest import market.

Vietnam is the EU’s 16th-largest trading partner and the largest in ASEAN.

The EU is also one of Vietnam’s major aid providers.

During the 2021-24 period, the EU committed €210 million in non-refundable aid to Vietnam, focusing on digital economy, circular economy, and climate change adaptation, responsible business, and governance reforms.

Cooperation in science, technology, and innovation has emerged as a new pillar of collaboration between Vietnam and several EU member states.

The EU is also prioritizing cooperation with Vietnam in green and sustainable development and climate change response, and is implementing a number of projects in Vietnam under the Global Gateway Initiative.

Launched in 2021, Global Gateway is a European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors, while also strengthening health, education and research systems across the world.

Vietnam and the EU have established a defense and security dialogue mechanism.

Vietnam has deployed two officers to participate in the EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic.

Since November 2020, the EU has also sent three rotations of officers to work at the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, supporting capacity-building for United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao emphasized that Costa’s visit reflects the EU’s recognition of Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification of external relations.

The visit also reaffirms Vietnam’s growing stature and credibility on the international stage, particularly as a key EU partner in the Asia-Pacific region.

Costa himself has shown personal interest in Vietnam, demonstrated by his phone call with Party General Secretary To Lam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of southern Vietnam and National Reunification, as well as congratulatory letters sent to Vietnam’s leaders marking the 80th anniversary of National Day.

Ambassador Thao added that the visit is not merely ceremonial.

More importantly, leaders from both sides will have the opportunity to hold in-depth discussions on concrete and practical cooperation programs, aiming to elevate Vietnam-EU relations to a new stage commensurate with the potential and needs of both sides amid a complex and challenging regional and global context.