UAE becomes Vietnam’s first comprehensive partner in Middle East

Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive partnership during the official visit to the Middle East country by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Both leaders confirmed the new partnership at their talks in Abu Dhabi on Monday, marking a new development stage in the countries’ relationship.

Highly appreciating PM Chinh’s visit, lasting from Sunday to Tuesday, President Zayed Al Nahyan expressed his belief that the trip would strongly promote a new phase of cooperation between both sides.

The UAE leader praised Vietnam’s glorious history and its socio-economic outcomes, asserting that the two nations could learn from each other in many aspects.

He affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner of the UAE in Asia and that cooperation with Hanoi is one of Abu Dhabi’s key priorities.

PM Chinh expressed his admiration for the UAE’s recent achievements that have turned the country into a leading economic, financial, and technological center in the region, creating a ‘miracle in the desert’ in the Middle East region.

After reviewing their relationship’s robust development, rooted in increased political trust and mutual understanding, as well as more substantive economic cooperation since establishing diplomatic relations in 1993, both leaders decided to elevate their ties to a comprehensive partnership.

Accordingly, the UAE has become Vietnam’s first comprehensive partner in the Middle East, which reflects the determination and expectation of both countries’ leaders to promote bilateral ties more steadily, substantively, and efficiently.

To activate their new partnership, the two leaders agreed on six priority areas: establishing action plans within the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) framework; enhancing cooperation in innovation, green and digital transformation, and the circular economy; strengthening economic, trade, and investment ties; jointly developing the Halal industry and opening markets for Vietnamese Halal products; expanding collaborations in labor, culture, tourism, sports, and people-to-people exchanges; and supporting each other in regional and multilateral forums.

The two sides pledge to make maximum efforts and substantially expand investment cooperation in areas such as oil and gas, renewable energy, information technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, logistics, and production and processing of agricultural products.

President Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that he would ask relevant agencies to coordinate with their Vietnamese counterparts and collaboratively reach the designated goals from PM Chinh’s visit.

The president also promised to direct the implementation of several specific cooperation projects, including the building of a financial center in Ho Chi Minh City and opening a youth football academy in Vietnam.

PM Chinh encouraged UAE authorities to continue supporting the Vietnamese community living and working in the country, a request that was promptly affirmed.

Expressing his pleasure at the growing number of Vietnamese workers in the UAE, President Zayed Al Nahyan assured that local authorities will consistently facilitate Vietnamese residents and voiced his support for establishing a Vietnamese cultural center in the UAE.

On the East Vietnam Sea, PM Chinh urged the UAE to back the stance shared by ASEAN and Vietnam, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight.

He stressed that related disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, as well as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

PM Chinh conveyed State President Luong Cuong’s invitation to President Zayed Al Nahyan to visit Vietnam, which the UAE leader gladly accepted.

Following the talks, the two sides released a joint statement summarizing the key outcomes and agreements reached during PM Chinh’s visit, including the comprehensive partnership.

The host and guest witnessed the signing ceremony for the CEPA, Vietnam’s first free trade accord with an Arab country, along with six other cooperative deals.

The UAE is currently Vietnam’s largest export market in the Middle East-Africa region, with Vietnamese exports to the country amounting to US$3.37 billion in January-July, an increase of 57 percent from last year.

As of June, the UAE had 41 foreign direct investment projects worth $71.6 million in Vietnam.

(Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/)