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May 06, 2016 / 15:09

Kuwaiti PM begins Vietnam visit to enhance bilateral cooperation

On May 6, at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabad starts his official visit to Vietnam.

The visit aims to further foster the friendship as well as cooperation across trade, oil and gas, labour, agriculture and tourism, between the two countries. The two sides will discuss regional and international issues of shared concerns.
 
Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabad
Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabad
The two sides signed a range of agreements, covering such areas as economy, science, technology, trade, tax, air transport, visa exemption and foreign affairs. During the visit, the two sides are also scheduled to discuss international and regional issues of shared concern.

Vietnam and Kuwait established diplomatic ties on January 10, 1976. Vietnam opened its trade representative office in Kuwait in June 1993, and its Embassy in the Middle East nation in October 2003. Kuwait opened its Embassy in Hanoi in August 2007 and its Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City one month later.

In February 2016, the Kuwaiti Government recognised Vietnam’s market economy. In 2015, bilateral trade stood at only 220 million USD with Vietnam mainly exporting garments-textiles, seafood, wood and timber products, computers, electronics, fruit, vegetables, pepper, footwear and porcelain products to Kuwait and importing from the country such items as oil, fertilizer, plastic materials, fabric, chemicals and apparel materials.

Vietnam has welcomed many Kuwaiti guests over the years, including PM Nasser Al Mohammed Al Sabah (May 2007), Director of the National Security Agency and President of the Olympic Council of Asia Ahmad Al-Fahad Al - Sabah (April 2009), Deputy PM and Minister of Oil M. Al Semali (October 2013) and Chairman of the Kuwait National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim, who came to Vietnam to attend the 132 nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in April 2015, among others.

In reply, multiple Vietnamese leaders and officials visited Kuwait, including President Le Duc Anh (1995), Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien (June 2005), Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hang (September 2005), Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Sports and Physical Training Nguyen Danh Thai (March 2006), Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc (July 2007) and PM Nguyen Tan Dung (March 2009).

The two sides signed a range of agreements, covering such areas as economy, science, technology, trade, tax, air transport, visa exemption and foreign affairs. In the sphere of education and training, Kuwait has provided annual scholarships to Vietnamese students majoring in oil and gas studies, and the Arabian language. About 16 Vietnamese students have to date received Kuwait’s language scholarships.