Prime Minister leaves for visits to three Middle East countries

The trips, to last until November 1, will be made at the respective invitations of UAE President of Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jasim Al-Thani, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman.

He is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son; Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung; Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung; Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat; and Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UAE Nguyen Thanh Diep, Vietnamese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dang Xuan Dung, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar Nguyen Huy Hiep are also on the list.

These are the first official visits to the UAE and Qatar by a Vietnamese Prime Minister over the past 15 years, and the first-ever visit to Saudi Arabia since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1999. This also marks the first time the PM has been invited as the chief guest and the only high-ranking leader in Asia to address the IFF.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are identified as important, long-term, and comprehensive partners in various fields in the Middle East. These countries also view Viet Nam as a key partner in Southeast Asia, aligning with their "Look East" policy. The relations between Viet Nam and the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have been growing, with increasingly close cooperation and mutual support at various multilateral forums.

Prime Minister Pham's visits are expected to create a new momentum for traditional areas of cooperation, create breakthroughs in potential fields, and, above all, establish a firm political trust to pave the way for a new phase of cooperation between Viet Nam and the three countries, as well as the entire region.

This is a practical step in realizing the 13th National Party Congress's foreign policy of multilateralization and diversification of external ties, active and proactive international integration, with a priority to the diversification of markets, partners and supply chains, contributing to reinforcing an environment of peace and cooperation, while maximizing resources for national development.

* The bilateral relationship between Viet Nam and the UAE has flourished across fields, from politics and diplomacy to trade, investment, labor and tourism, over the last three decades since they set up diplomatic ties on August 1, 1993.

In April 2023, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi signed a Ministerial Declaration on starting negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two nations, marking a crucial milestone in bilateral cooperation and ushering in a new phase of strategic cooperation in many fields.

The UAE was Viet Nam's largest export market and second-largest trading partner in the Middle East last year, behind Kuwait.

From 2019 to 2023, the total average annual trade between the two countries was approximately US$4.8 billion. Viet Nam consistently enjoys a trade surplus with the UAE, with an annual value exceeding US$3 billion.

In the first half of 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries surpassed US$3.2 billion, a 43 percent increase on-year. Viet Nam's exports exceeded US$2.8 billion, up 47 percent, while imports reached over US$435 million, a 25 percent rise.

As of June this year, the UAE poured a total registered capital worth US$71.6 million in 41 projects in Viet Nam.

* Viet Nam and Qatar set up diplomatic relations on February 8, 1993. Viet Nam opened its embassy in Qatar in 2008, while Qatar opened its embassy in Ha Noi two years later.

The bilateral relations have developed well, reflected through regular high-level visits and meetings. The two nations have signed 12 important cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding which have created a framework for bilateral collaboration.

In 2023, the two-way trade value was estimated at US$497 million, up 32 percent against the previous year.

* On October 21, 1999, diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and Saudi Arabia were officially established, laying the groundwork for a robust partnership built on mutual respect and shared interests.

The opening of the Embassy of Viet Nam in Riyadh in 2007 and the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Ha Noi in 2008 further consolidated this relationship, facilitating closer interactions between the two countries across all spheres.

In the economic domain, Saudi Arabia has become one of Viet Nam's largest partners in the Middle East.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has experienced robust growth over the years, reaching US$2.68 billion in 2023-an increase of approximately 43 percent from US$1.87 billion in 2014.

Exchanges between the business sectors of both countries are being further promoted, as evidenced by the two-way trade turnover of US$1.42 billion in the first half of 2024, marking a 7.6 percent increase year-on-year./.