At the G20 Summit in South Africa on November 23, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Partnership during President Luong Cuong’s state visit to Egypt in August 2025, and agreed to accelerate the completion of the action programme to implement this new framework.

With a shared commitment to raising two-way trade to USD 1 billion, the Prime Minister proposed that the two countries soon convene a joint working group to study the feasibility of a Vietnam-Egypt FTA. He also suggested establishing a Vietnam-Egypt Business Council, expediting negotiations toward the early signing of a double-taxation avoidance agreement, and enhancing investment cooperation, particularly by enabling Vietnamese enterprises to take part in Egypt’s administrative-city and urban-development projects and other business operations in the country.

The Prime Minister also called for stronger agricultural cooperation, including localised production for export, and urged the early completion of market-access procedures for Egyptian products such as potatoes, dates and pomegranates into Vietnam, as well as for Vietnamese rice, lychee and dragon fruit into Egypt.

Prime Minister Madbouly commended Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements and rising trade performance, voicing strong support for the proposals raised by Prime Minister Chinh. He stressed the need for both sides to coordinate closely and devise an action plan to bring bilateral trade to a level commensurate with the potential and the upgraded relationship.

He welcomed and encouraged Vietnamese businesses to expand market surveys and investment in Egypt, especially in telecommunications, infrastructure and artificial intelligence, noting Egypt’s desire to leverage cooperation with a dynamic economy like Vietnam to strengthen its connection with the promising ASEAN market.

Prime Minister Madbouly also called for effective implementation of the defence-cooperation Letter of Intent signed during President Luong Cuong’s visit, inviting Vietnam to send a delegation to the international defence exhibition in Cairo scheduled for December 2026.