Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Vietnam Ahmed Ali Almualla hosted a reception in Hanoi on Nov. 30 to celebrate the 40th National Day of his country (Dec. 2).

The Ambassador said he was pleased to see the two countries’ close, effective cooperation in issues relating to politics, economics, culture and increased exchange of visits by senior leaders and friendly exchanges.

The increasing number of trade and investment promotion missions between the two countries in recent years provided opportunities for increasing bilateral cooperation, he said.

The Ambassador also highlighted the coordination and mutual support of the UAE and Vietnam at international forums.

Addressing the function, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien stressed that as close friends of the people of the UAE, the Vietnamese people are pleased at achievements by the UAE people during their national construction and development.

Two-way trade between the two countries is expected to reach 1 billion in 2011. The UAE is implementing projects with a total pledged capital of nearly 3 billion USD in Vietnam and more than 15,000 Vietnamese labourers are working in the UAE.

Minister Tien said she believed that with the resolve and efforts of both sides, multifaceted cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and the UAE will be fostered and developed, meeting the aspiration of the two countries’ leaders and people./.