President to visit Vietnam next week

By Ajith Siriwardana

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake an official visit to Vietnam from May 3 to 6, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday.   

He said several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed during his visit.   

The Minister said Cabinet approved several Cabinet Papers with regard to the MoUs to be signed with Vietnam.   

He said MoUs approved by the Cabinet included the MoU between the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI) of Sri Lanka and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam with the objective of sustaining a necessary mutual cooperation in the fields generally interested with the intention of obtaining novel opinions for bilateral, regional and international activities closely linked with one another in the complex contemporary world.   

The memorandum of understanding signed in 2011 between the then Ministry in-charge of Industries and the Ministry of Industries and Trade in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will be renewed.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development to sign the memorandum of  understanding on the machinery production cooperation which is updated including the amendments providing access for training and capacity building for local stakeholders for training and capacity building as well as facilitating the exchange of novel technology between the two parties. 
  
A memorandum of understanding between Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VTETRADE) and Sri Lanka Export Development Board is proposed to be signed between Sri Lanka and Vietnam in order to strengthen the trade cooperation.   

The Minister said a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Agriculture of Sri Lanka and the Agriculture Science Academy of Vietnam for agricultural sector cooperation will be signed.