Ho Chi Minh City, Kuwait eye stronger cooperation

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Ngo Minh Chau speaks at the reception held by the Consulate General of Kuwait in HCM City on February 24. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City expects that Kuwait will become a gateway for its businesses to further strengthen economic and trade ties with the Gulf and Middle East countries, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ngo Minh Chau has said.

Speaking at a reception held by the Consulate General of Kuwait in HCM City on February 24 to mark the 62nd anniversary of Independence Day and the 32nd anniversary of the Liberation of the State of Kuwait, Chau emphaised that Vietnam has always considered Kuwait as one of the most important partners in the Middle East in general and the Gulf in particular.

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976, Vietnam and Kuwait have constantly strengthened their relations based on mutual understanding and trust, for peace and development of the two nations, Chau said.

In addition to good political relations, the friendly cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, education, and training is expanding, meeting the needs and aspirations of their people, he said.

HCM City wants to step up cooperation programmes with Kuwait City, especially in the fields where Kuwait City has strengths including urban planning and smart cities, Chau added.

Ali Alsaihan, Acting Consul General of Kuwait in HCM City, said that economic cooperation and bilateral trade are playing an important role in narrowing the geographical gap between the two peoples.

Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade between the two countries has increased continuously year by year, reaching over 3.23 billion USD in 2020, 4.78 billion USD in 2021 and more than 6.64 billion USD in 2022, making Kuwait one of the largest trading partners of Vietnam in the Middle East, he said.

The diplomat believed that the cooperation outcomes the two countries have achieved in the past time are an important foundation for Kuwait and Vietnam, including HCM City, to obtain greater successes in the future.

He also expressed his desire and called on Vietnamese entrepreneurs and companies to invest in development projects in Kuwait to increase two-way trade./.