Doha, 27 Oct. 2024 (QT)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

Ambassador of Vietnam to Qatar Nguyen Huy Hiep has said that the forthcoming visit to Qatar of Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh from October 30 to November 1 is of special significance, being the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to Qatar in 15 years (2009) and 12 years after the high-level visit of the Amir of Qatar to Vietnam (2012).

Talking to Qatar Tribune on the forthcoming official visit, he said this visit shows that Vietnam highly appreciates Qatar’s potential and role in the Middle East and in the Arab world, attaches importance to the Vietnam-Qatar friendship and cooperation, and wishes to promote multifaceted cooperation with Qatar to become more in-depth, substantive and effective.

He said that Vietnam and Qatar are dynamic, rapidly advancing countries that hold increasingly significant positions in their respective regions and on the international stage, adding that the two countries share a common aim to promote peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity throughout the world.

'Over the years, Vietnam and Qatar have cultivated a multifaceted relationship, marked by significant achievements in politics, diplomacy, trade, culture, and people-to people exchanges. Qatar is now one of Vietnam’s most important trade partners in the Middle East, and the two nations have made great joint efforts in global discussions,” he noted.

Talking about political and diplomatic ties, the envoy said that the two countries have witnessed positive developments, as demonstrated by more frequent exchanges of delegations at all levels, particularly the high-ranking visits, underscoring the importance both countries attach to their bilateral ties.

On bilateral relations in economic sector, he said that bilateral trade between the two countries has experienced robust growth over the years, reaching $740 million in 2023. Exchanges between the business sectors of both countries are being further promoted, as evidenced by the two-way trade turnover of $562 million in the first eight months of this year.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Qatar is expected to help strengthen comprehensive and extensive cooperation between Vietnam and Qatar in various fields, including politics, economics, trade, investment, energy, labour, aviation, agriculture, industry, culture, tourism and sports.

It has been reported that the Prime Minister of Vietnam is accompanied by approximately 200 delegates on his visit to the Gulf States. Following his current visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Qatar will be the third and final stop of his trip.

An official at the embassy said the visit would contribute to consolidating political trust between the two countries, create momentum and open a new phase of cooperation in Vietnam-Qatar relations.

Cooperation with Qatar can help Vietnam penetrate the Gulf region and other markets. Similarly, with Vietnam’s role and geographical location in the ASEAN region, Qatar can access other neighbouring markets through Vietnam.