HÀ NỘI — Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan on Thursday signed an action plan for implementing economic diplomacy to help promote agricultural development in the 2023-26 period.

Applauding the agriculture and rural development sector’s achievements, Sơn said agriculture has established itself as a true pillar of support in the national economy, an essential contributor to social security, and a leading strength of Việt Nam's international cooperation and diplomatic activities.

In 2022, agriculture, forestry and fisheries expanded 3.36 per cent to substantially contribute to the overall GDP growth of 8.02 per cent. Agro-forestry-fishery exports topped US$53 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of over $8.5 billion or nearly 76 per cent of the economy’s total trade surplus, statistics show.

Agriculture has played a crucial role in ensuring domestic food security, political stability, and social security, especially amid the food crisis that has led to political and social instability in many countries, the Foreign Minister noted.

The sector has also helped promote Việt Nam's stature and prestige in the international arena, he went on, adding that from an agriculturally underdeveloped country, Việt Nam has become one of the world’s top producers and exporters of agro-forestry-fishery products and a role model on safeguarding food security.

At bilateral meetings and on the sidelines of multilateral conferences, foreign leaders have recognised and valued Việt Nam's experience in agricultural development as well as its important role in global and regional food production and supply chains, Sơn said.

He highlighted the moves taken by the foreign ministry and Việt Nam's overseas representative agencies to help expand markets for agro-forestry-fishery products, attract resources for agricultural development, and assist the agricultural sector to integrate into the world.

As the global, regional and domestic situations are predicted to face complex and unpredictable developments in the time ahead, Minister Sơn stressed the critical necessity for stepping up economic diplomacy to support the sector, thus helping facilitate the export of agro-forestry-fishery products and maintain economic growth.

Appreciating the diplomatic sector’s assistance, Minister Hoan expressed his hope that the diplomatic sector, especially overseas representative agencies of Việt Nam, will continue assisting the agricultural sector to weather challenges and seize opportunities to bring Vietnamese farm produce to more markets.

He also considered the overseas representative agencies a trustworthy and effective information channel for the agricultural sector to access advanced scientific and technological achievements of global agriculture so as to undertake reforms, improve production capacity, and improve on quality.

Following the meeting, the two ministers signed an action plan for implementing economic diplomacy to help with agricultural development for 2023-26. — VNS