Vietnam Ambassador: We Aim to Raise Trade Volume with Kuwait to $12 Billion by 2030

Osama Diab: The Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Kuwait, Dr. Nguyen Duc Thang, affirmed his country’s aspiration to raise bilateral trade volume with Kuwait to $12 billion by 2030, pointing to broad prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation in the energy, food security, digital transformation, finance, logistics, education, and tourism sectors.

This came during a speech delivered by the Ambassador at a celebration hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Kuwait, as well as the 81st anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day. The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hamad Al-Mashaan, a number of ambassadors and diplomats, representatives of government entities and companies, as well as members of the Vietnamese community in Kuwait.

The Ambassador stated that Kuwait was the first Gulf country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, in January 1976, expressing his country’s pride in Kuwait’s supportive stance toward the Vietnamese people during the war years, and in Kuwait’s contributions to reconstruction and development efforts following the restoration of peace.

He expressed appreciation for the role played by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development through the loans it provided to finance infrastructure, economic, and social development projects in several Vietnamese provinces. He also highlighted Kuwait’s donation of 600,000 vaccine doses during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that these actions reflect the depth of friendship between the two countries and its consolidation through deeds over five decades.

He clarified that the official visit by the Prime Minister of Vietnam to Kuwait in November 2025 marked a historic milestone in the trajectory of bilateral relations, as both countries elevated their ties to the level of a strategic partnership. He noted that Kuwait is the largest investor from the Middle East in Vietnam, with investments exceeding $3.5 billion, primarily concentrated in the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex.

He added that Kuwait represents Vietnam’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and Africa, noting that the volume of trade between the two countries has ranged between $7 billion and $7.5 billion annually over the past three years.