The agreement aims to create a legal scope for the two sides to further their multifaceted cooperation, including the establishment of an intergovernmental committee.

Under this agreement, they will effectively carry out the memorandum of understanding on rice trading signed in December 2012, under which Haiti will buy 250,000 - 300,000 tonnes of high-quality rice from Vietnam each year.

In addition, relevant agencies will continue to discuss cooperation in the transfer of food plant technology, particularly rice, based on each country’s conditions and capacity. Their cooperation will focus on trade, investment, agriculture, animal breeding and garments.

Speaking at their talks, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said that Vietnam is willing to provide construction services and products to Haiti , participate in the country’s infrastructure construction and industrial production projects, and build a legal framework to facilitate cooperation between the two sides’ businesses.

Vietnam will also consider cooperation with the Caribbean country in such fields as education and training, social issues and poverty reduction, he said.

For his part, Wilson Laleau, who is also Minister of Economy and Finance, said Vietnam’s proposals are in accordance with Haiti ’s demands. At present, it is in need of building infrastructure and developing its transport network, particularly highways and seaports.

The country is considering the establishment of companies to process agricultural products for the domestic market and export, as well as joint ventures to produce cement and steel, and exploit minerals, he said.

Wilson Laleau also suggested establishing a centre in Haiti to distribute Vietnamese goods in Haiti and American countries.

In the first five months of 2013, Vietnam earned 20.2 million USD from exports to Haiti, up 355 percent from a year ago, with rice, machinery and mobile phones the main exports.