Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, accompanied by his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, arrived in Kuwait international airport on November 16 noon (local time), beginning his three-day official visit to the Middle Eastern country at the invitation of PM Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al Sabah.
The PM and his entourage were welcomed at the airport by the Kuwait PM’s Advisor Basel Humood AL Sabah, who is also a member of the royal family; Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs Amthal Al Huwaila; and Ambassador of Kuwait to Viet Nam Yousef Ashour Al-Sabbagh. The Vietnamese side included Vietnamese Ambassador to Kuwait Nguyen Duc Thang, embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Kuwait.
Kuwait is the first stop on PM Prime Minister Chinh’s working trip to three countries, including Algeria and South Africa. This is the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to Kuwait in 16 years, and timed a head of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (January 10) next year.
Over nearly five decades, Viet Nam and Kuwait have enjoyed strong and positive development. The two countries have maintained regular high-level visits and exchanges, as well as bilateral cooperation mechanisms. Kuwait is currently Viet Nam’s largest trading and investment partner among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Bilateral trade reached 7.3 billion USD last year. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) is partnering with Japan in the 9 billion USD Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC, committing to supply crude oil on a long-term basis.
The two countries have also maintained cooperation in other areas. They have established several locality-to-locality agreements, including those between Ho Chi Minh City and Ahmadi province, and between Thanh Hoa and Al Farwaniyah provinces. In addition, the two sides have cooperated closely and supported each other at multilateral forums.
During the trip, the Vietnamese PM is scheduled to meet with Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, hold talks with Kuwaiti PM Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and receive several ministers and executives of major Kuwaiti conglomerates. The Vietnamese Government leader will visit several socio-economic establishments and deliver a speech at the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute.
The two sides will discuss directions, measures, and a broader framework for deeper cooperation in the near future, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and elevate them to a new level. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Kuwait underscores Viet Nam’s determination to implement its foreign policy strategy toward the Middle East, and to realise Resolution 59 on international integration in the new context.
