Kuwaiti Ambassador to Việt Nam, Yousuf AlSabbagh, wrote to Việt Nam News on the occasion of the country's National Day

The year 2023 marks the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kuwait and Việt Nam, and it can be affirmed that the bilateral relationship between our two countries is a special friendship since its establishment in 1976, and this relationship has experienced many bright and successful achievements across all fields and at all levels.

Kuwait is one of the first countries in the Middle East and also the first country in the Gulf region to establish diplomatic relations with Việt Nam right after Việt Nam was reunified in 1975.

Ambassador of the State of Kuwait in Việt Nam Mr. Yousuf AlSabbagh during the ceremony of presentation of Credentials on August 10, 2022. Photo courtesy of the embassy

And, Việt Nam opened its first Embassy in the Gulf region in Kuwait in 2003, and in 2007 Kuwait also opened its Embassy in Hà Nội and Consulate General in Hồ Chí Minh City.

On the basis of this traditional and beautiful friendship, in recent years, Kuwait and Việt Nam have regularly and actively supported each other in international forums. After Kuwait completed its non-permanent member role in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2018 - 2019, Việt Nam replaced Kuwait to take this important position for the term 2020 - 2021.

Kuwait and Việt Nam also exchanged many high-level visits to promote bilateral relations between the two countries, most notably the visit of Kuwaiti Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Việt Nam in 2007 and the visit of then Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng to Kuwait in 2009.

In addition, in 2016, Kuwaiti Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also paid an official visit to Việt Nam on the occasion of the two countries' 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

The above high-level visits have created a strong impetus for the bilateral relationship between Kuwait and Việt Nam. In addition, within the framework of these visits, the opportunities to expand and develop areas in which the two countries have strengths, especially trade and investment, have also been exploited and taken advantage of for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Regarding trade exchange, bilateral trade turnover between Kuwait and Việt Nam has increased ten times from US$350 million in 2017 to $3.5 billion in 2019, and in 2021, trade turnover between the two countries also reached approximately $5 billion.

In terms of investment relations, Kuwait's investments in major Vietnamese projects, most notably the $9 billion Nghi Sơn Refinery and Petrochemical Project and the $200 million Kirby Construction System factory project, are considered as bright spots in investment cooperation between the two countries.

Al Mubarakiya Kuwait market. Photo Courtesy of KUNA

In addition, Kuwait is also a country that is interested in Việt Nam's development progress. Through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Kuwait has contributed to improving the life quality of local people in many remote and disadvantaged areas, and to date, the Fund has provided concessional loans totaling approximately $190 million for 16 rural infrastructure development projects in Việt Nam.

For its part, Việt Nam also presented the people of Kuwait with medical masks during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the overall success of Kuwait in the fight against the pandemic.

In these days of February, on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of the National Day of Kuwait and the 32nd anniversary of Liberation Day, I would like to affirm that the State of Kuwait always attaches great importance to the development of friendly and close relations with Việt Nam in particular and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in general. Finally, I would like to wish that the beautiful relationship between Kuwait and Việt Nam will grow and prosper commensurate with the common interests of the leaders of our two countries and for the common benefit of our two peoples. VNS