Kuwait City (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam met with staff of Vietnamese representative offices and the Vietnamese community in Kuwait on the evening of November 16.
At the meeting, the PM, who is on an official visit to Kuwait, briefed the community on Vietnam–Kuwait relations, noting Kuwait was the first member in the Gulf Cooperation Council and among the earliest in the Middle East to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam shortly after the country’s reunification in 1975.
The two sides have long treated each other with respect, support, and solidarity, while sharing common views on a wide range of regional and international issues, he said.
The PM said his visit carries significant meaning as Vietnam and Kuwait maintain good friendship and effective cooperation. Both sides will discuss elevating their bilateral relationship to a higher level and are set to sign a series of key cooperation agreements.
He briefed the overseas Vietnamese on the situation at home, saying the country is on track to meet or exceed all the 15 key socio-economic targets for 2025.
PM Chinh attributed Vietnam’s past and present major achievements to the contributions, support, and active engagement of overseas Vietnamese worldwide, including those in Kuwait.
Praising the Vietnamese in Kuwait for their solidarity, mutual support, and efforts to build stable lives and integrate into the host society, he stressed that the Party and State always pay close attention to overseas Vietnamese, seeing them as an inseparable part, vital lifeblood, and key resource of the nation.
The Party and State have implemented numerous policies concerning overseas Vietnamese to safeguard their rights and interests, and provide them with the greatest possible convenience, he elaborated.
The PM asked relevant ministries and agencies, particularly Vietnam’s embassies, including in Kuwait, to set up contact channels for the community, enabling members to connect and seek support, especially in times of need. He said he would urge Kuwaiti leaders to continue facilitating the Vietnamese community’s stable living, work, and integration.
PM Chinh also directed domestic agencies to take stronger measures to meet their legitimate needs. He placed special emphasis on opening a direct Vietnam-Kuwait air route, adopting more open and convenient visa policies, providing information on investment, trade and tourism promotion, and tapping into the Halal market.
He urged the community to remain united, build a strong and respected presence, preserve and promote Vietnamese cultural identity and language, and strive for excellence in work and study to contribute to national development.
Ambassador Nguyen Duc Thang reported that, though small in number, the Vietnamese community in Kuwait contributes actively to the country’s socio-economic life. Community members work across various sectors, with many Vietnamese experts having been engaged for many years in Kuwait’s core oil and gas industry and in several international petroleum corporations.
Community representatives expressed gratitude to the Party and State for their ongoing attention to overseas Vietnamese and called for easier access to online public services, a direct air route between the two countries, and more open visa policies.
They also proposed strengthening the promotion of tourism and culture locally, and developing products tailored to the Middle Eastern market, including luxury beach tourism, family resorts, shopping, health and beauty services, and especially Halal cuisine to meet the needs of Muslim travelers./.
