Vietnam, Kuwait PMs commit to unlocking cooperation potential under newly upgraded Strategic Partnership
WVR - The Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Kuwait have identified economic, trade, and investment cooperation as key pillars of their bilateral relations, agreeing to strive to increase bilateral trade turnover to 12-15 billion USD by 2030.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in talks with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al Sabah. (Source: VNA) |
On November 17, during an official visit to Kuwait, following a welcoming ceremony and meetings with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at the Bayan Palace in Kuwait City, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.
Kuwaiti Prime Minister warmly welcomed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-level Vietnamese delegation, considering this a historic milestone that injects new momentum into the friendly and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, advancing it to a new, more substantive, profound, and effective stage.
Praising Vietnam's impressive development achievements in recent years, Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah expressed confidence that with its rising international stature, Vietnam will continue to play an active role in promoting peace, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his pleasure at visiting Kuwait and thanked the Kuwaiti royal family, government, and people for their warm, respectful, and sincere reception. Congratulating Kuwait on its significant achievements in developing and transitioning its economy towards modernity and sustainability, and successfully realizing its Vision 2035, the Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam highly values its friendly and multifaceted cooperation with Kuwait, the first Middle Eastern country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1976.
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| Kuwaiti Prime Minister welcomes Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on his official visit to Kuwait. (Source: VNA) |
On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh invited Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah to officially visit Vietnam soon and conveyed greetings and invitations from General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and other Kuwaiti leaders to visit Vietnam.
Over nearly 50 years of cooperation, the two leaders assessed that bilateral relations have been continuously expanded and strengthened, particularly in trade, investment, energy, education, labor, and development assistance, making Kuwait a leading trade partner and an important investment and development partner of Vietnam in the Middle East. Facing a new phase of development, with new potential and mindset, in an atmosphere of sincerity, trust, and mutual understanding, the two Prime Ministers agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership and extensively discussed bilateral, regional, and international relations, agreeing on major directions to advance Vietnam-Kuwait relations more robustly, comprehensively, and sustainably in the future.
Both sides agreed to enhance exchanges at all levels, especially high-level ones, and to promote the activities of existing cooperation mechanisms, including the Intergovernmental Committee and political consultations, establishing new specialized working groups such as the Joint Working Group on Digital Transformation to foster cooperation across all fields. The two leaders agreed to promote cooperation in security, defense, experience exchange, and addressing challenges in cybersecurity and non-traditional security.
The Prime Ministers identified economic, trade, and investment cooperation as key pillars of bilateral relations, agreeing to strive to increase bilateral trade turnover to more than 12-15 billion USD by 2030. Vietnam proposed that Kuwait expedite negotiations and the signing of the Vietnam-GCC FTA and consider negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Vietnam and Kuwait.
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| The two Prime Ministers agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership. (Source: VNA) |
Both sides affirmed their commitment to closely coordinate to enhance the effectiveness and expand the operations of the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in the spirit of "harmonized interests, shared risks", considering it a symbol of strategic cooperation between the two countries and a significant contribution to ensuring energy security for both nations. Additionally, Vietnam is ready to provide oil and gas services and high-quality human resources for projects in Kuwait, expanding cooperation to new projects, particularly the construction of a storage and transshipment facility for petroleum products in Vietnam.
Kuwaiti Prime Minister emphasized the importance of multifaceted bilateral relations with Vietnam. Agreeing that there is still much room and potential for promotion, especially on the foundation of the newly upgraded Strategic Partnership framework, Kuwaiti Prime Minister welcomed investment opportunities in Vietnam and committed to encouraging the Kuwait Investment Authority and Kuwaiti investors to implement large, strategic projects in Vietnam, while directing the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to coordinate with Vietnam to continue promoting ODA in line with mutual interests. Kuwait's Prime Minister also proposed that the two sides soon sign an air transport agreement and explore the possibility of opening a direct flight route between the two countries.
Kuwait's Prime Minister stated that they would promote research and investment in building an agricultural product manufacturing plant in Vietnam for export to the Kuwaiti market and other regional countries. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed negotiating a long-term framework agreement on strategic commodities, including rice, to ensure food security for Kuwait and implement projects to support the development of the Halal ecosystem in Vietnam.
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| The two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of the amended protocol on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passports with Kuwait; and the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, and the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwaiti Diplomatic Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait. (Source: VNA) |
Emphasizing the motto "value time, value intelligence, innovate to break through, create to reach far", Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam welcomes and facilitates all conditions for Kuwaiti investment funds and enterprises, proposing that the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) invest in the International Financial Center in Vietnam.
Besides economic cooperation, both sides agreed to expand cooperation in emerging fields such as science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, cybersecurity, renewable energy, education and training, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The two Prime Ministers agreed to make educational and cultural cooperation a sustainable foundation for long-term friendship between the two nations.
Kuwait's Prime Minister committed to expanding scholarships for Vietnamese students to study new fields such as STEM and basic sciences, while agreeing to coordinate the organization of Vietnam Days in Kuwait and Kuwait Days in Vietnam to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Kuwait (1976-2026); and to explore the possibility of visa exemption for citizens of both countries.
Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two Prime Ministers agreed to cooperate closely in multilateral regional and international mechanisms such as the United Nations, ASEAN, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Both sides shared a common vision of resolving disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. As one of the largest humanitarian aid donors to Gaza and Syria, Kuwait welcomed Vietnam's cooperation in reconstruction activities in the Middle East.
Immediately following the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of the amended protocol on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passports with Kuwait and the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, and the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwaiti Diplomatic Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait.
