The Angolan Ambassador to Vietnam has said that his country continues to welcome Vietnamese workers and the country is willing to sign a labour co-operation agreement with Vietnam.
João Mamel Bernardo, Angolan Ambassador to Vietnam João Mamel Bernardo made the statement in a recent interview after Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, Director of the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs (MoLISA)’s Overseas Labour Department said that the African country had not agreed to sign labour co-operation agreement with Vietnam in 2010.
How have Vietnamese workers contributed to socioeconomic development in Angola?
Vietnamese workers have worked in Angola since the 1980s. When Angola was in difficulties, Vietnam sent education and medical experts to the country.
We’ve never complained anything about Vietnamese citizens in Angola. For me, Vietnamese workers are very diligent. Vietnamese experts have never left their jobs despite deferred payment or improper welfare policies.
After the war, Angola was in chaos and was in desperate need of support from the international community, including Vietnam. That’s the reason why we set up Angolan Embassy in Vietnam last December.
Nowadays, many Vietnamese people want to work in Angola. What do you think about this?
Angola really needs trained workers from Vietnam. It’s natural that Vietnamese workers come to Angola to seek work and no one should ban them. A lot of Vietnamese workers have worked in Angola since 2000 and they have greatly contributed to our country’s development.
Why have leaders from MoLISA recently said it’s unsafe to work in Angola and payments there are low?
I do think that Angola is an attractive working environment which offers considerable incomes. Sometimes, there may be some incidents but I think they’re just random and not a popular trend. Our embassy will co-ordinate with Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Angolan Ministry of Interior to ensure the best security for Vietnamese workers.
Vietnamese construction workers in Angola are paid from USD800-USD1,500 per month Does it mean that you support Vietnamese workers to work in Angola? I do think that Vietnamese workers play an important role in Angola’s reconstruction process. They are present in all 18 cities across our country.
While the Angolan Embassy in Vietnam has been set up for 10 months, we’ve granted visas to 7,000 Vietnamese workers along with a large number of those who are working in our country. We’ve also granted visas for several enterprises to explore the business environment in Angola.
Why have MoLISA leaders said that the Angolan government did not agree to sign a labour co-operation agreement with Vietnam?
I do think that they’re wrong to say that. We’ve wanted to co-operate with Vietnam before our liberation. We’re willing to co-operate with Vietnam in all sectors and sign any agreements proposed by the Vietnamese side. I reiterate that Vietnamese workers play an important role in Angola’s development.
What’s the problem then?
I don’t think the fault is on the Angolan side. Since I worked as an ambassador to Vietnam I’ve yet to receive any proposal from the MoLISA to sign a labour co-operation agreement. Without proposals from the Vietnamese side, we have nothing to do with researching and analysis let alone signing any agreement.
Is it true that a working group from the MoLISA to Angola last December brought about no expected results?
I am aware that a MoLISA working delegation came to Angola last December but I was not informed anything about their field trip. Some members of the group used common passports but still got visas. They came to Angola with the help of the Vietnamese Embassy in Angola.
Will Angola be willing to co-operate with MoLISA based on any proposals in the time to come?
The Angolan Embassy is willing to co-operate. Representatives from the MoLISA meet us. After initial negotiations, we’ll send a proposal to the Angolan government, so the two sides can reach an agreement.
As the MoLISA has yet to make any proposal, we can’t stay waiting. While Vietnam has excess labour, we’re desperate. Therefore, we’ve granted visas to thousands of Vietnamese people who provided all the required documents. It’s irrational to ban people who have a legitimate demand to work.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
