BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 18. During an official visit to Vietnam by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Lithuania's Vice Minister of Agriculture Gediminas Tamašauskis met with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and other senior officials to strengthen bilateral cooperation in agriculture and trade, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania.
A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture and Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, aimed at enhancing cooperation in sustainable farming, food safety, climate-resilient agriculture, fisheries, and organic farming.
The MoU was signed by Vice Minister Tamašauskis and Vietnamese Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep during the official meeting with the President of Vietnam.
“We aim to share best practices in animal health and welfare and to boost mutually beneficial trade relations,” said Vice Minister Tamašauskis.
As part of the visit, the Lithuanian delegation also met with To Hoai Nam, Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. Discussions focused on enhancing business ties, expanding bilateral trade and investment, and addressing the global food security crisis.
Vice Minister Tamašauskis highlighted Lithuania’s strategic position as a gateway for Vietnamese goods into the European market and called for institutional support and regulatory facilitation to enable Lithuanian businesses to operate more effectively in Vietnam. The Vietnamese association expressed strong support for these initiatives.
The vice minister also participated in the Lithuania–Vietnam Business Forum, which featured in-depth discussions on future food systems and sustainable farming practices.
Antanas Venckus, Head of the International Relations and Export Promotion Department at the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture, presented the potential of both countries’ food sectors, with a focus on exports, innovation, and advanced agricultural technologies. He also outlined Lithuania’s initiatives to promote exports across the Indo-Pacific region.
In a separate meeting with Luong Xuan Dung, head of the Vietnam Alcohol, Beer, and Beverage Association, and other representatives, both sides discussed market access, regulatory challenges, and mutual interests in the beverage sector.
Vice Minister Tamašauskis showcased the uniqueness of Lithuanian beverages, emphasizing their export potential and the strong interest of Lithuanian producers in entering the Vietnamese market. Both parties agreed to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation.
Additionally, Vietnam is one of the European Union’s key partners in the ASEAN region. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2020, has already driven a 36 percent increase in bilateral trade. A Strategic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Vietnam is expected to be signed later this year.
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