50 Years of Vietnamese-Kuwaiti Relations: From Traditional Friendship to Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Development

In 2026, Vietnam and Kuwait will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations (1976–2026). Over the past five decades, relations between the two countries have been built on friendship, solidarity, and political trust, gradually evolving from traditional friendship to tangible cooperation across a wide range of fields. The elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during the historic visit by the Vietnamese Prime Minister to Kuwait in November 2025 has opened a new chapter, providing a stronger framework and fresh momentum for deepening and expanding cooperation between the two nations.

The bonds of friendship between Vietnam and Kuwait have been nourished by the solidarity and support shown by the Kuwaiti people during Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and reunification. In the past, many Kuwaitis took to the streets to express their opposition to the Vietnam War, while Kuwaiti media raised their voices in support of the Vietnamese people, admiring their willpower and resilience. On the other hand, Vietnam fully supported Kuwait’s efforts to restore its sovereignty following the Iraqi invasion. These positions of solidarity laid an important foundation for the enduring friendship between the two peoples.

In January 1976, Kuwait became the first Gulf country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam. During Vietnam’s post-war reconstruction phase, Kuwait provided practical assistance through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to implement numerous transportation, irrigation, and socio-economic development projects in several regions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kuwait also timely delivered 600,000 vaccine doses to Vietnam. This valuable support helped strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two countries.

In recent years, in the face of common challenges in the region and the world, Vietnam and Kuwait have continued to exchange views and coordinate their positions to support each other in various international forums. Cooperation has prioritized issues including maintaining an environment of peace, stability, and development; participation in the UN Human Rights Council; respect for the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; promotion of the two-state solution for the Palestinian people; enhancement of cooperation between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and expansion of cultural exchanges among countries and regions.

Economic relations have become a cornerstone of Vietnam-Kuwait ties. To date, Kuwait is the largest investor from the Middle East in Vietnam, with total investments exceeding $3.5 billion, concentrated in the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex in Thanh Hoa Province. This project is not only a major investment but also a clear example of the integration between the two economies and the shared interests underpinning their partnership.

Kuwait is also Vietnam’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and Africa. Bilateral trade volume reached between $7 billion and $7.5 billion over the past three years, reflecting the growing scale and depth of commercial relations. Vietnam primarily imports crude oil, petrochemical products, and industrial inputs from Kuwait, while Vietnamese electronic products, mobile phones, agricultural and aquatic products, textiles, garments, wooden products, and consumer goods are increasingly present in the Kuwaiti market.

Vietnam and Kuwait are witnessing new opportunities as they transform their growth models and deepen their integration into the global economy. Vietnam is striving for robust growth, with a strong focus on investing in infrastructure, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Vietnam’s GDP grew by 8.02 percent in 2025, while the government targets double-digit growth rates in the coming years. Its total trade volume ranked among the top 15 countries globally, and is projected to exceed $1 trillion US in 2026. Foreign investors have shown considerable optimism, with approximately $41 billion US in foreign direct investment recorded during the first eight months of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of over 55 percent.

Meanwhile, Kuwait is advancing economic development and diversification under “Kuwait Vision 2035.” Amid significant regional changes, Kuwait continues to strengthen its resilience, consolidate its economic foundations, and play an increasingly active role in the Gulf region. According to the International Monetary Fund, Kuwait’s real GDP is expected to grow by 3.8 percent in 2026, while the non-oil sector is projected to expand by 3.0 percent. This reflects the growing importance of economic diversification as a driver of growth, offering broader scope for international cooperation, as well as for a more intensive partnership between Kuwait and Vietnam.

Elevating bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in 2025 established a favorable framework for expanding and diversifying cooperation. Both sides set an ambitious goal of increasing bilateral trade to $12–15 billion US by 2030, while broadening collaboration to include investment, energy, oil and gas, petrochemicals, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, food security, defense, security, and responses to non-traditional challenges.

Notably, Kuwait can explore investment opportunities to expand its presence in Vietnam, particularly in infrastructure, energy, finance, logistics, and technology. For its part, Vietnam can continue to develop its exports to Kuwait, including agricultural and aquatic products, halal foods, electronics, and industrial goods. Food security stands out as a field with clear potential, by combining Kuwait’s need to diversify its supply sources with Vietnam’s strengths in agricultural production and food processing. Furthermore, the digital economy, education, tourism, cultural exchange, and human resource development offer additional areas to enhance close cooperation.

Vietnam highly values the friendship and practical support provided by successive generations of Kuwaiti leaders and people. The 50th anniversary marks an important milestone for both countries to reflect on a proud journey and look forward to a brighter future. The foundation laid over the past 50 years, along with the political trust enjoyed by the leaders of both countries, provides a solid base for advancing the strategic partnership in a more substantive, dynamic, and effective manner.

In the coming years, the two countries can better leverage their complementary strengths, expand flows of trade, investment, energy, technology, and people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen connectivity between Southeast Asia and the Gulf region. Through these efforts, Vietnam-Kuwait relations, nurtured over half a century, will continue to achieve new cooperative milestones, delivering tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries and making a positive contribution to regional peace, stability, and prosperity.