Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (R) and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Luong Cuong announce the upgrade of Vietnam - Egypt to Comprehensive Partnership during a press briefing after their talks in Cairo on August 5

Speaking at a joint press briefing with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday after their talks, Vietnamese President Luong Cuong said the Comprehensive Partnership reflects the significance of the two countries' relationship in a new era with enhanced political trust at all levels and expanded, more substantive cooperation across all areas.

President Luong Cuong said: “With great cooperation potential and complementary strengths, the two countries are determined to raise bilateral trade to 1 billion USD in the near future. In that spirit, both sides agreed to facilitate greater market access for each other’s key agricultural products. I discussed with the President of Egypt, and we agreed to explore the early launch of negotiations on a Vietnam–Egypt Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The two countries will increase investment cooperation and encourage businesses from both sides to participate in priority sectors such as industry, textiles and garments, renewable energy, and information technology."

At the press conference, President Luong Cuong also highlighted Vietnam’s appreciation for Egypt’s role as a mediator in the Gaza conflict, reiterated Vietnam's consistent support for the two-state solution, calling for an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, coexisting peacefully alongside the State of Israel.