Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and visiting Sierra Leonean counterpart Julius Maada Bio on Tuesday agreed on orientations to foster cooperative relations between the two countries in the time to come, Vietnam News Agency reported.

During their talks in Hanoi on Tuesday, the two leaders agreed to continue to maintain visits and meetings at all levels, while strengthening collaboration and mutual support at multilateral forums.

They concurred to consider economy as the focal cooperation area, with agriculture a key pillar of the bilateral partnership. Vietnam and Sierra Leone will optimize the strengths and potential of the two economies, while drastically implementing their signed agreements to boost trade ties, including the trading of rice.

The two leaders also focused discussion on seeking measures to expand collaboration in other areas such as high technology, telecommunications, digital transformation, innovation, and education and training.

Following the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of three cooperation deals between ministries and sectors of Vietnam and Sierra Leone in the fields of diplomacy, agriculture, and fishery, which are expected to lay a foundation for the enhancement of cooperative ties between the two countries.

The Sierra Leonean president is paying an official visit to Vietnam from March 14 to 20.