Casablanca, July 26, 2025 – The Europe Today: National Assembly (NA) Chairman of Vietnam, Trần Thanh Mẫn, attended a high-level policy dialogue on strengthening Vietnam–Morocco cooperation on Friday evening (local time), as part of his ongoing official visit to the North African nation.
In his address, Chairman Mẫn underscored the significance of the dialogue as a platform for businesses from both countries to explore trade and investment opportunities, aiming to foster sustainable economic relations with tangible benefits.
He expressed his pleasure at visiting the beautiful and hospitable country of Morocco, and noted the success of his meetings with Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Speaker of the House of Representatives Rachid Talbi Alami, and Speaker of the House of Councillors Mohamed Ould Errachid. He emphasized that the Vietnamese delegation’s visit was aimed at deepening legislative cooperation and energizing broader bilateral ties.
Highlighting Vietnam’s recent economic milestones, Chairman Mẫn said the country’s GDP grew by 7.09 per cent in 2024, with all 15 major development targets met or exceeded. The national GDP stood at approximately US$470 billion and per capita income surpassed $4,700. In the first half of 2025, the country’s GDP growth was estimated at 7.52 per cent. Vietnam is now the world’s 34th largest economy and continues to advance in industry, trade, and services, with around $20 billion in foreign direct investment registered during the first six months of 2025.
Despite these achievements, the NA Chairman acknowledged that economic, trade, and investment relations between Vietnam and Morocco remained below potential. He encouraged both sides to work toward removing barriers, improving the legal framework, and promoting sustainable economic partnerships.
Looking ahead, Chairman Mẫn called for the completion of the bilateral legal framework, including the signing of pending agreements. He also proposed boosting public-private partnerships (PPP) in mutually beneficial sectors.
Vietnam, he said, stands ready to share its experience in agricultural and seafood value chain development, export processing zones, and commodity trading models suited to Morocco’s climate and socio-economic conditions. Strengthening business-to-business ties was also highlighted, with calls for enhanced collaboration between chambers of commerce through trade missions, exhibitions, and business forums.
On broader multilateral cooperation, Mẫn suggested Morocco and Việt Nam could jointly pursue trilateral or quadrilateral projects—especially in agriculture and technology—with support from international development partners. He noted that Việt Nam’s core strengths include agriculture, textiles, and footwear.
He further proposed institutionalizing legislative exchanges to create a supportive legal environment for mutual investment and cooperation.
President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Chakib Alj, echoed the Vietnamese leader’s remarks, emphasizing the growing interest of both governments in empowering their business communities. He highlighted Morocco’s economic progress, strategic location, modern infrastructure—including Africa’s first high-speed rail—and its skilled workforce.
Alj outlined Morocco’s 2030 development vision, with focuses on renewable energy, tourism, and services, while describing Việt Nam as one of the most open economies in the world. He cited Việt Nam’s strengths in agro-processing, electronics, and education, and called for greater collaboration in aviation, green energy, and logistics.
He expressed hope that the Morocco–Vietnam partnership could serve as a model for Africa–Asia cooperation.
During the dialogue, officials from various Vietnamese ministries presented insights into Việt Nam’s investment environment and proposed strategies for boosting trade and industry ties. Business representatives from both sides exchanged views on concrete investment opportunities, particularly in agriculture.
The event concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting Vietnam–Morocco investment cooperation.
