Vietnam keen to enhance multifaceted cooperation with Saudi Arabia
VOV.VN - Vietnam attaches importance to the traditional friendship and all-round cooperation with Saudi Arabia, an important partner for Vietnam in the Middle East, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai told visiting Tourism Minister of Saudi Arabia Ahmed bin Aqeel-Khateeb in Hanoi on August 28.
Khai noted that Saudi Arabia is currently one of Vietnam’s leading economic partners in the Middle East, with their two-way trade turnover hitting US$2.7 billion last year, up 32.4% compared to 2021.
He expected that investment cooperation between the two countries would yield more positive results in the time to come, including cooperation in green energy development.
Khai briefed his host on Vietnam’s project to develop its Halal industry until 2030 and proposed that Saudi Arabia support Vietnam in developing this Halal industry to help its goods and services access Saudi Arabia as well as other markets in Muslim countries.
He also proposed that Saudi Arabia facilitate the import of Vietnam’s strong products such as rice, tea, pepper, coffee, rubber, and textiles.
The Deputy PM highly appreciated the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) having provided concessional loans for 13 projects in Vietnam, and requested that the Minister, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SFD, further support the strengthening of cooperation between Vietnam and the Fund and facilitate the continuation of preferential loans for social security projects in Vietnam.
He also requested that Saudi Arabia, as chair of the executive council of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), support Vietnam’s bids to host big UNWTO events and invest in developing tourism infrastructure in the country.
As Vietnam and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to celebrate 25 years of their diplomatic relations next year, the two sides should coordinate closely in organizing activities, including those related to tourism promotion, cultural and art exchanges, he suggested.
Minister Ahmed bin Aqeel-Khateeb welcomed Vietnam’s initiatives, and said that both Saudi and Vietnam should ramp up cooperation in such fields as energy, investment, manufacturing, culture, Halal industry, tourism and sports.
He assured his host that Saudi Arabia would do its best to assist Vietnamese businesses to invest in its territory as well as in other countries in the Middle East.
