To strengthen Vietnam-Saudi Arabia cooperation towards the important milestone of 25 years of bilateral relation: Deputy Minister
WVR - On the evening of September 22, in Hanoi, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam held a ceremony to celebrate the 93rd National Day (September 23, 1930-September 23, 2023). Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc attended and delivered a speech at the ceremony.
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| Delegates attended the ceremony of the 93rd National Day of Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said that for many Vietnamese people, Saudi Arabia is emblematic of the magnificent Arab world, boasting the vast date palm forests and the diverse nature of immense golden sand desert, gigantic oases, and yet white snow-covered lands. The country is also the cradle of Islam and home to famous sacred sites of Muslims such as the Holy Land of Mecca - the sought-after pilgrimage destination of tens of millions of Muslims annually.
Deputy Minister emphasized that built upon the rich cultural and religious heritage, Saudi Arabia is now growing day by day.
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| Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc delivered a speech at the ceremony. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
Economically, Saudi Arabia is known as the world’s oil powerhouse-the major energy supplier that ensures market stability and energy security. Moreover, this modern and dynamic economy has constantly promoted creativity, transformation, and diversification of the economic model with the highlights of ambitious mega-projects.
Deputy Minister believed that the Saudi Arabian people, with their strong will and determination, will soon conclude these important projects, opening up a promising post-oil era for Saudi Arabia and for the success of the “Vision 2030” – Saudi Arabia, the heart of the Arab and Muslim world and the global investment hub of Asia and Europe.
Appreciating the extremely positive developments in the relationship between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, Deputy Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said that the Vietnam - Saudi Arabia relations have seen recent positive developments. Shortly after Covid-19 was placed under control, delegation exchanges were resumed with renewed vigor.
Some notable events to name were the first visit to Vietnam by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal Farhan Al-Saud in March 2022, and the first political consultation between two Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia in February 2023.
Besides political and diplomatic engagement, economic cooperation also spotlights bilateral ties. Two-way trade turnover in 2022 totaled 2.7 billion USD, up 32.4% on 2021.
In the first seven months of 2023, bilateral trade reached 1.6 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 7.4% from 2022.
Just around 10 days ago, the Vietnam - Saudi Arabia Business Forum was organized with a record number of over 750 businesses and localities from both sides. The forum’s astonishing success reflects the tremendous interest and expectation from the Vietnamese and Saudi Arabian business communities about opportunities for economic cooperation.
Stating that Vietnam and Saudi Arabia will celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2024, Minister Ha Kim Ngoc affirmed that an important milestone in the friendship and cooperation journey between the two countries.
In light of the recent impressive achievements, Deputy Minister believed that with the aspiration and determination of the Governments and people of both countries, the cooperation between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia will be fostered across all fields of diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, culture, people-to-people exchange, among others, in the mutual interest of the two peoples, thereby making practical contributions to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.
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| Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Vietnam Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy at the ceremony. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
At the ceremony, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Vietnam Mohammed Ismaeil A. Dahlwy said that in the development process of Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, the close cooperative relationship between the two countries over the past 24 years has gained great achievements. This bilateral relationship has been growing stronger and strengthened by effective cooperation in many different fields and coordination at international forums.
On this occasion, the Ambassador wished the Government and people of Vietnam get more and more successes and greater achievements, as well as that the relationship between the two countries will develop strongly, effectively and reach new heights in the coming years.
Within the framework of the ceremony, the Embassy organized many cultural and sports activities to introduce the country and people of Saudi Arabia, including the national efforts to host the World Expo 2030 in Riyadh.
At the event, there was also a booth of Zamil Steel Vietnam Company - an outstanding example of Saudi Arabian companies effectively operating in Vietnam. In an interview with The World & Vietnam Report (WVR) on the sideline, Mr. Swain Ajar Kumar, from Zamil Steel Vietnam Company said: "There are currently many open cooperation opportunities. We expect to expand our activities in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government should focus more on developing the workforce to further improve output efficiency".
The ceremony also included a Saudi Arabia-Vietnam music concert, with a harmonious blend of traditional music from the two countries.
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| Within the framework of the ceremony, the Embassy organized many cultural and sports activities to introduce the country and people of Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
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| Mr. Swain Ajar Kumar, from Zamil Steel Vietnam Company, was in the interview with WVR. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
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| Traditional dishes of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
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| Dried dates from Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
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| The cakes are made from dates. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
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| A performance in Saudi Arabia-Vietnam music concert. (Photo: Tuan Viet) |
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