Doha, Qatar: The longstanding diplomatic relationship of Vietnam and Qatar, which recently marked its 30th anniversary, is flourishing at an unprecedented pace, bolstered by the exchange of high-level officials between the two nations.
This robust momentum is set to continue as numerous delegations from ministries and businesses in both countries prepare to visit each other in the coming months, strengthening their ties and exploring new avenues of collaboration, according to a top official.
Ambassador of Vietnam to Qatar, H E Tran Duc Hung told The Peninsula that the diplomatic ties between Qatar and Vietnam, established in 1993 are “developing very fast especially with the visit of Qatar’s then-Deputy Prime Minister, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is now the Prime Minister, to Vietnam at the end of last year and the recent visit by Vietnam’s Vice President, H E Vo Thi Anh, to Qatar this year.”
“Many delegations of different levels from Ministries, provinces and businesses from Vietnam and Qatar are going to visit each other in the coming months to foster ties and seek cooperation opportunities.”
The envoy highlighted the multifaceted development of the comprehensive relationship, with notable agreements such as the visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders between the two countries last year.
He emphasised that Qatar has become an essential partner for Vietnam in the Middle East, fostering enduring friendship and cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Meanwhile, trade volume between Qatar and Vietnam saw a significant increase in 2022, reaching $550m, compared to $350m. Ambassador Hung expressed optimism that this figure would surpass $1bn in the current year, attributing the growth to Vietnam’s exports of seafood, rice, fruits, and other agricultural products, as well as imports of non-natural materials.
Energy, labour, and investment cooperation are also emerging as top priorities in the bilateral relationship. The Embassy of Vietnam in Qatar is actively collaborating with relevant ministries and agencies to reinstate mechanisms of cooperation, such as the Joint Committee on economic, trade, and technical cooperation or sub Joint Committee in the labour field.
Currently, there are over ten memoranda of understanding and agreements between the two nations. Ambassador Hung stressed the need to upgrade and expand these agreements, recognising that they were initially established under the leadership of Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and now require enhancement and extension to meet the evolving needs of Qatar-Vietnam relations.
