Azerbaijan-Vietnam Friendship Forum held

A delegation led by Deputy Minister of Education Firudin Qurbanov is visiting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to attend the 2^nd Azerbaijan-Vietnam Friendship Forum. The delegation includes rector of Baku State University Abel Maharramov, rector of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University Mustafa Babanli and others.

On the first day of the visit the delegation met with Deputy Minister of Education and Training of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Pham Manh Hung.

Firudin Qurbanov said that reciprocal visits of the presidents pave the way for cooperation between the two countries in all areas, including education. The deputy minister highlighted education reforms conducted in Azerbaijan.

Pham Manh Hung said Azerbaijani higher education institutions have played a crucial role in training Vietnamese specialists, adding that more than 4,000 Vietnamese citizens studied in Azerbaijan. He said the Vietnamese graduates now hold high positions in the public and private sector. Pham Manh Hung thanked Azerbaijan for support, saying these specialists played a vital role in Vietnam`s development. He noted the significance of developing relations between higher education institutions, adding that Vietnam is interested in studying Azerbaijan`s practice.

The Azerbaijani delegation attended the 2^nd Azerbaijan-Vietnam Friendship Forum, which was held in the city of Vũng Tàu marking the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Vietnam.

Addressing the forum, Firudin Qurbanov said that on 19 May 2014 during his official meeting to Vietnam, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan met with the Vietnamese graduates who studied in Azerbaijan. “At that meeting the President put forward an initiative under which the first Azerbaijan-Vietnam Friendship Forum was excellently held in Baku on 7 May 2015, involving Vietnamese graduates.”

Firudin Qurbanov said that that under the orders of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated September 11, 2017, Director General of Department for External Affairs of the Office of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Vu Ha Le and Chairman of Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, Member of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nghiem Vu Khai were awarded "Taraggi" medals for their services rendered to the development of friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Azerbaijani deputy minister presented the medals to the Vietnamese officials.

Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy Pham Hoai Nam said that he studied in Azerbaijan too. He thanked the Azerbaijani government for creating this opportunity for the Vietnamese students. Pham Hoai Nam presented Vietnam’s Friendship Order to Heydar Aliyev Higher Military School, Baku State University and Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University for their role in preparation of the Vietnamese specialists.

Chairman of Vietnam-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, Member of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nghiem Vu Khai, director of Vietsovpetro company Do Man Hung and former Vice President of Vietnam Nguyen Thị Doan noted the importance of cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of education and the necessity of developing the bilateral relations.