HCMC – Vietnam and Algeria are seeking to strengthen direct business links to expand trade in agricultural products and reduce intermediary costs, Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Tran Quoc Khanh told businesses and officials in Algeria’s Skikda Province.
According to the Vietnam News Agency, the ambassador recently held meetings with Skikda Governor Saïd Akhrouf, the Skikda Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local businesses, and Skikda University to promote broader cooperation between the two countries and between Vietnam’s Gia Lai Province and Algeria’s Skikda Province.
Tran Quoc Khanh identified direct connections between businesses as a priority to lower trading costs and create new opportunities for cooperation.
Vietnam mainly exports coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, garments and textiles, steel, and some industrial products to Algeria. Algeria exports animal feed, chemicals, dates, and other agricultural products to Vietnam.
The ambassador highlighted Vietnam’s position as a major producer and exporter of Robusta coffee. He noted that several Algerian companies had already imported Vietnamese coffee directly in large volumes and valued its quality and reliable supply.
He added that cooperation between Gia Lai and Skikda should focus not only on government ties but also on partnerships between businesses.
Representatives of Skikda-based companies expressed interest in working with Vietnamese partners in various sectors. Some construction firms praised the skills and professionalism of Vietnamese workers.
Technology companies and startups in Skikda also explored cooperation with Vietnamese firms in developing software for travel agencies and transportation applications for rural areas.
During talks with Governor Akhrouf, Tran Quoc Khanh said Gia Lai and Skikda have complementary strengths in agriculture, food processing, workforce training, and business development.
