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| Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Phuoc Minh, Director of the Institute of African and Middle Eastern Studies, delivered the opening speech at the Workshop. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Important area
Africa and the Middle East are not only connected by geography, but also by cultural and linguistic similarities. In addition to the wealth of some Gulf countries, these two regions are known for instability, violence, conflict, war, poverty, and disease.
However, few people know that, during the period 2000-2010, six of the ten fastest growing countries in the world were in sub-Saharan Africa: Angola, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Chad, Mozambique and Rwanda. Today’s Africa is Kenya and West African countries actively using blockchain to verify property records; South Africa ranks first in the African Tech Ecosystems ranking; Lagos (Nigeria) records the highest number of startups in Africa; Nigeria is a leader in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies; more than 400 tech clusters have sprung up across the continent, with three main hubs in Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town; Morocco is pushing digitalization towards a fully digital financial environment. Egypt aims to produce 42% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035…
In the Middle East, governments and a new generation of entrepreneurs are focusing on science and innovation, providing huge support for young people to learn new technological skills, and these are the most popular career paths for young people in the Middle East. UNESCO research has found that between 34% and 57% of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates in Arab countries are women – much higher than in European or American universities. Resource-rich countries are implementing reform programs to diversify their economies, digitalize, and reduce their dependence on oil. The UAE has set a target of net zero emissions by 2050, and to achieve the goal the UAE aims to increase the contribution of renewable energy to its energy mix from the current 13% to 31% by 2025. Saudi Arabia launched the 300 MW Sakaka solar power plant, the country’s first utility-scale renewable energy project, which will be one of the largest in the world upon completion. Qatar has also focused on increasing self-sufficiency in a number of areas, such as improving food security by investing in high-tech agricultural solutions, establishing industrial recycling facilities to reduce the carbon footprint of heavy industry, etc.
At the workshop, speakers shared about the importance of the Africa-Middle East region, along with the special relationship between countries and Vietnam; emphasizing that many countries in the region consider Vietnam an example of fighting for national independence and have actively supported and helped our people in the resistance war to save the country.
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| Speakers in the discussion session at the Workshop. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Lessons that can be shared
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Associate Professor Dr. Le Phuoc Minh, Director of the Institute for African and Middle Eastern Studies, said that recently, the conflict situation in some African and Middle Eastern countries has raised concerns of the world community about rapid, unstable and unpredictable changes.
Meanwhile, looking back at Vietnam, we have more confidence in the Party's talented leadership and the Government's extremely correct foreign policy. Thanks to that, Vietnam is now becoming a country with a sustainable growth model, developing the fastest in the world. Many African and Middle Eastern countries want to share and learn from Vietnam's economic and political model.
Delegates attending the workshop exchanged and discussed issues such as: The role and significance of independence for the country's development; our Party's viewpoint on independence in the current period; the issue of independence - autonomy in international relations; things that Vietnam needs to pay attention to in order to avoid instability like some Middle Eastern - African countries today; the path that President Ho Chi Minh and our Party sought "Independence - Freedom - Happiness" for the Vietnamese people to share with friends in the five continents, with Africa and the Middle East...
Through that, the delegates affirmed that national independence is a universal aspiration for all mankind. For the Vietnamese people, it is also a sacred value, protected and preserved by the blood, bones and strength of countless generations of Vietnamese people.
In Ho Chi Minh's thought, national independence must be associated with the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. National independence is always associated with freedom, democracy, prosperity and happiness of the people. When the Fatherland was in danger from internal and external enemies, he affirmed with the immortal saying: "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom". This is not only an ideology but also a way of life, a reason for fighting, a source of strength for the victory of the struggle for independence and freedom of the Vietnamese people, a source of encouragement for oppressed peoples around the world, including African and Middle Eastern countries.
The delegates also said that Vietnam is increasingly imbued with the great thought of President Ho Chi Minh, that "Only with true national independence can there be true peace; only with true peace can there be complete national independence" and that it is necessary to continue implementing the policy of diversifying and multilateralizing relations with countries around the world, maintaining independence and autonomy in the political, economic and cultural aspects...
This is a scientific conference of urgent significance in terms of theory, practice and current events when the regional geopolitical situation has many fluctuations. The conference is also a practical activity to contribute to the successful implementation of Resolution No. 35/NQ-TW dated October 22, 2018 of the Politburo on "Strengthening the protection of the Party's ideological foundation, fighting against wrong and hostile ideologies in the new situation" and continuing to implement Decision No. 2015/QD-TTg dated October 24, 2016 on "Project on developing relations between Vietnam and African - Middle Eastern countries in the period of 2016-2025".
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| Casic delegates attending the conference took a souvenir photo. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The Institute for African and Middle Eastern Studies, under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, was established by the Prime Minister on January 15, 2004. The Institute has the function and task of conducting basic research on the African and Middle Eastern regions to provide scientific arguments for planning policies, guidelines, strategies and policies, promoting development cooperation between Vietnam and African and Middle Eastern countries. The 20-year journey of the Institute for African and Middle Eastern Studies has witnessed many contributions and development stages with many proud achievements but also many difficulties and challenges in developing cooperative relations between Vietnam and African and Middle Eastern countries. After 20 years of establishment and development, the Institute of African and Middle Eastern Studies is preparing to turn a new page, with a new mission and goal according to Decision 108/TTg of the Prime Minister, which is to merge with the Institute of Indian and Southwest Asian Studies, forming the Institute of South Asian, West Asian and African Studies. On this occasion, the Institute of African and Middle Eastern Studies held a ceremony to honor generations of staff of the Institute through the years, the Embassies of African and Middle Eastern countries, agencies, organizations, partners, experts, and domestic and international colleagues who have always accompanied the Institute. |
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