On the occasion, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UAE Nguyen Thanh Diep has granted an interview to Nhan Dan Newspaper on the significance of the visit and the prospects for the Viet Nam-UAE Comprehensive Partnership.
Q: From September 23 to 25, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh will visit and work in the UAE. In your view, what is the significance of this visit in promoting the Viet Nam-UAE Comprehensive Partnership?
A: The visit of Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh to the UAE is of great importance, contributing positively to the implementation of the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, which emphasises independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and the diversification and multilateralisation of Viet Nam’s relations. It will help enhance the effectiveness of the comprehensive partnership with the UAE.
The visit will also foster cooperation with the UAE and relevant partners and organisations to implement the action plan on the establishment of an international financial centre in Viet Nam, issued under Decision No. 114/QĐ-BCĐTTTC, dated August 1, 2025, by the Steering Committee for the International Financial Centre in Viet Nam. At the same time, it will help to strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation, encouraging UAE enterprises to invest in Viet Nam, particularly in areas where the UAE has strengths and Viet Nam has demand and potential, such as finance and banking, science and technology, innovation, and the green economy.
Through this visit, the UAE reaffirms its commitment to advancing the comprehensive partnership with Viet Nam, recognising Viet Nam as a dynamic economy with a large potential market and a young, high-quality workforce. The UAE also seeks Viet Nam’s support in strengthening relations with ASEAN, while exchanging measures to boost and expand cooperation in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, finance, and banking, sharing experience in developing international and regional financial centres, and creating favourable conditions for enterprises of both countries to conduct investment and business in Viet Nam.
Q: Economic and trade cooperation is one of the priority areas in Viet Nam-UAE relations. In October 2024, Viet Nam and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). How do you assess the potential for bilateral cooperation in trade and investment in the coming time?
A: The potential for cooperation in trade and investment between Viet Nam and the UAE in the future is substantial, as reflected in several aspects.
First, Viet Nam-UAE relations are developing very positively, with growing political trust, especially following Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to the UAE in October 2024, during which the two countries elevated their relations to a comprehensive partnership and signed the Viet Nam-UAE CEPA.
UAE leaders value their relations with Viet Nam, considering the country a dynamic and promising market. At the same time, Emirati enterprises and people are increasingly interested in Viet Nam. Emirates Airlines has recently launched a direct route from Dubai to Da Nang, and Etihad Airways will open a direct route from Abu Dhabi to Ha Noi in November 2025, facilitating tourism and trade exchanges between the two countries.
Second, in terms of trade, Viet Nam’s exports to the UAE have many opportunities, as the UAE is an open market where domestic production does not meet consumption demand, relying almost entirely on imports for domestic use and re-export. This is a high-purchasing-power market, with an average per capita income of around 50,000 USD per year. The UAE depends heavily on imports, especially products where Viet Nam has strengths, such as agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, wood, and processed foods.
Moreover, the UAE maintains a relatively open trade policy, with most imports subject to tariffs ranging from 0 to 5 per cent. Furthermore, as a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), it applies a unified customs system. This means that once goods enter the UAE, they can easily access markets such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain without incurring additional tariffs. The UAE is not only a major consumer market with high growth potential but also a gateway for Vietnamese goods to access the entire Middle East.
Third, in terms of investment, the UAE is both an investor and a market that attracts investment. The UAE established its Ministry of Investment in 2023 to coordinate investment strategies, enhance competitiveness and attract investment. This creates opportunities for Viet Nam to attract investment from the UAE as well as to invest in the UAE.
In fact, in recent years, an increasing number of UAE businesses have come to Viet Nam to explore opportunities for trade, investment and business cooperation. For example, in May 2025, a delegation from the Ajman Free Zone Authority visited Ho Chi Minh City to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and boost trade. The Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) participated in the 2025 Viet Nam Industrial and Manufacturing Fair (VIMF) and supported the organisation of a business forum. The Vietnamese Embassy coordinated with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry to bring a delegation of more than 300 UAE businesses to the Viet Nam Investment and Trade Promotion Forum (April 2025). Most recently, G42 Group and the multi-sector Bloom Holding Group visited Viet Nam to seek investment opportunities.
Q: Could you share some information about the Vietnamese community in the UAE? As a bridge of friendship, how has the Vietnamese community contributed to strengthening Viet Nam-UAE cooperation as well as to building a strong and prosperous Viet Nam in the new era - the era of Viet Nam’s national rise?
A: Despite challenges such as cultural, linguistic and religious differences, customs and traditions, geographical distance and climate, the community of more than 5,000 Vietnamese people in the UAE has been growing positively, making significant contributions to raising Viet Nam’s profile in the eyes of both the Emirati people and the international community, and actively contributing to the country’s development in the new era — the era of Viet Nam’s national rise.
An increasing number of Vietnamese in the UAE are working in high-skilled sectors such as technology, energy, aviation, and education, including as university lecturers. The network of Vietnamese intellectuals in the UAE is expanding. More and more Vietnamese restaurants have opened, receiving high praise from locals and the international community in the UAE. A growing number of Vietnamese students are pursuing studies in the UAE, achieving excellent academic results and receiving scholarships from the Emirati Government. Vietnamese human, cultural, educational, and culinary values are increasingly spreading in the UAE, further enhancing Viet Nam’s standing.
The bonds within the community are becoming stronger. The community liaison committee, together with the embassy, has organised numerous meaningful programmes that connect overseas Vietnamese and nurture their attachment to the homeland, such as International Children’s Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, community Tet celebrations, sports and cultural events, Vietnamese language classes, and the “Vietnamese Children in the UAE with Uncle Ho” competition. The spirit of solidarity and mutual support is being further fostered.
Thank you very much!
