Sierra Leon’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio today [March 15] was welcomed in Hanoi, in the first state visit between the two countries since diplomatic relations were established in 1982.

Sierra Leon’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio welcomed in Hanoi on Mar 15. Photos VGP, MOFA, VNA

At the meeting on the sidelines of the 76th UN General Assembly in New York in September 2021, Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc formally invited President Bio to visit his country and expressed expectations for further relations.

In the week-long visit to Vietnam starting on March 14, President Bio received a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi and held meetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

The president will visit the Temple of Literature and the FPT University, and attend a business forum in Hanoi. He is also scheduled to take part in some activities in the southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta.

His visit will focus on six key areas including rice supply, capacity building in mechanized farming, providing technical expertise in fish production, among others.

The president is accompanied by the First Lady Fatima Bio, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Professor John Francis, Chief Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Abu Bakarr Karim, Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Edward Sandy, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Honourable Emma Kowa-Jalloh and the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr Francis Kaikai.

Located in a strategic position for multinational companies with operations throughout Southeast Asia, Vietnam is an ideal export hub for countries like Sierra Leone to reach other ASEAN markets.

On Tuesday morning [March 15], Wonie Bio led a delegation of high-ranking Serra Leonean officials to lay a wreath at the mausoleum of the late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh.   

Sierra Leon’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio (L) and Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi on Mar 15.

Sierra Leon seeks Vietnam’s expertise in agriculture

At the meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 15, President Bio admired Vietnam’s achievements in agriculture, expecting to get Vietnam’s support in this field.

Commenting on Vietnam’s tremendous strides in many areas, the president stated that Sierra Leon could learn a lot from Vietnam’s key sectors namely trade, investment, telecommunication, and education.

PM Chinh affirmed Vietnam’s diplomacy of being a friend and trustworthy partner of all nations, including Sierra Leon, stressing the potential of the relations, mostly in trade (including rice), investment, agriculture, technology, education, security, defense, and people-to-people links. He talked of opportunities in rice farming and processing.

Both Vietnam and Sierra Leone stand to gain from these talks, as both economies are still reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Vietnam could gain larger export access to the African economy, whereas Sierra Leone can diversify its trade to a rapidly growing ASEAN region.

Vietnam's economy has been growing at a rapid rate, peaking at over 7% in 2019 before dropping to 2% in the pandemic period. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s economy shrunk by over 2%.

In 2020, two-way trade reached US$51.5 million, up more than 200% from the recorded $17 million in 2018, with Vietnam’s exports of $47 million.

On the same day, the two countries signed three agreements on foreign affairs, agriculture, and aquaculture. 

Sierra Leon’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio (L) and Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Sierra Leon’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio and his spouse lay a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi on Mar 15.