On May 20th, in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang chaired the mid-term review conference on the implementation of the project "Developing relations between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East and Africa region, 2016-2025". The conference was held online, connecting to provinces and cities. Attending the conference from Son La province's online connection point were leaders from several provincial departments and agencies.
Delegates attending the conference at the Son La venue.
Over the past 10 years, especially in the last 2-3 years, relations between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East and Africa have been significantly strengthened. Particularly with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to several countries in the region in 2024, the friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East and Africa have reached many important milestones, marking a new phase of development in relations between Vietnam and its regional partners. High-level exchanges between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East and Africa have been more vibrant than in many years, significantly contributing to strengthening good political relations, consolidating personal relationships between Vietnamese leaders and leaders of countries in the region, and opening up tremendous opportunities for cooperation between the two sides.
In Son La province, the export of Son La products to the Middle East and Africa is currently only in the form of product introductions and demonstrations; there has been no direct investment from investors from the Middle East and Africa. In 2018, the province collaborated with GreenPath Vietnam Trading and Import-Export Joint Stock Company to export 8 tons of mangoes to the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and coordinated with several domestic import-export companies to introduce products (mangoes, plums, longan, tea, etc.) to the Middle East market.
In 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified several specific solutions to further enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in all fields with countries in the Middle East and Africa. These include: continuing to concretize agreements and commitments made during high-level visits; creating new impetus for economic, trade, and investment cooperation; and contributing to strengthening relations between Vietnam and countries in the Middle East and Africa.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang emphasized: In the coming time, the Ministry will actively coordinate with other ministries, departments, and agencies in supporting and accompanying localities and businesses to innovate and create to enhance the effectiveness of substantive and comprehensive cooperation in Vietnam's relations with countries in the Middle East and Africa; continue to improve the effectiveness of economic diplomacy, considering this as a focus in cooperation with countries in the region; maximize the effectiveness of signed agreements, supporting Vietnamese goods to penetrate deeper into the regional market; continue to innovate methods in trade and investment promotion; attract investment; continue to train and send highly skilled workers to work in Middle Eastern countries…
Lam Giang