Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai received visiting Saudi Arabian Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel-Khateeb in Hanoi on August 28, affirming that Vietnam attaches importance to the enhancement of the friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Saudi Arabia, an important partner in the Middle East.
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Deputy PM Le Minh Khai (R) meets with Saudi Arabian Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel-Khateeb in Hanoi on August 28. (Photo: VNA) |
As the two countries will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2024, Khai asked both sides to coordinate in holding various activities on that occasion, especially promoting tourism and cultural exchanges to help improve mutual understanding between the two peoples.
Applauding progress in bilateral cooperation, he expressed his hope that Vietnam will expand connections with not only Saudi Arabia but also others in the Arab and Muslim communities.
Saudi Arabia is one of Vietnam’s leading economic partners in the Middle East, with bilateral trade surging 32.4 percent year on year to US$2.7 billion in 2022, he said, noting that he hopes investment links between the two sides, including in green energy development, will grow more fruitfully in the coming time.
The official called on Saudi Arabia to help Vietnam develop the Halal industry and access the Halal goods and service markets in Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries through production investment, manpower training, and experience sharing.
He also suggested the Middle Eastern nation to import more products of Vietnam's strength such as rice, tea, peppercorn, coffee, rubber, and apparel.
Talking about the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), the host proposed Ahmed bin Aqeel-Khateeb, who is also SFD Chairman, keep supporting Vietnam’s cooperation with the fund so as to promote the continued provision of concessional loans for social security projects in the Southeast Asian country.
Since the Saudi Arabian minister also serves as head of the Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Khai thanked the organization for assisting Vietnam with tourism planning and tourism product development. He asked his guest as the UNWTO leader to promote this organization’s support for and coordination with Vietnam to hold major UNWTO events here.
The Deputy PM also called on Saudi Arabia to help Vietnam develop tourism infrastructure and the products that Arabian people have demand for to boost tourism connectivity between the two countries.
Congratulating Vietnam on the coming National Day (September 2), Ahmed bin Aqeel-Khateeb highlighted the two countries’ cooperation results for the last over 20 years.
He said he hopes Vietnam and Saudi Arabia will press on with partnerships in such fields as energy (petrochemistry and green energy), investment, manufacturing, culture, the Halal industry, tourism, and sports.
The minister affirmed that Saudi Arabia will do its utmost to assist Vietnamese businesses to make investment in the country and others in the Middle East.
