IAMES’s official visit to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam
IAMES’s official visit to
the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam
On
August 31st 2022, the delegation of Institute for Africa and Middle
East Studies (IAMES) led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Phuoc Minh, Director General
officially visited and worked with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador
of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam, H.E.Mr. Mohammed Ismaeil A.Dahlwy.
H.E.Amb. Mohammed Ismaeil
A.Dahlwy and Assoc.Prof.Dr. Le Phuoc Minh lively exchanged their ideas on the
bilateral cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Vietnam
The Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula (area of about
2,150,000km2), representing ¾ of the total area of the Arabian
Peninsula, bigger 7 times than Vietnam’s one (area of about 331,210km2).
The
official estimate for Saudi Arabia's GDP was $1,593 billion at the end of 2021
in puchasing power partity terms (World Economics
Research). For economy, Saudi Arabia is15th largest economic size in
the world. In spite of affecting by the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s reported that
Saudi Arabia’s GDP grew 3.2% for 2021 – the rather outstanding growth while the
others in the world almost had the minus growth. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
has been in the rapid process of socio-economic tranformation with the open
domestic policies as well as the foreign policies of deeply international
integration. For internal affairs, Saudi Arabian women have the rights to more
participate in the labor market, provide with driving linceses; some recreation
places are allowed to open like cimenas…. For foeign affairs, the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia is the member and plays the important role in many international
organizations like: United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF),
World Bank (WB), World Trade Organization (WTO), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Arab
League (AL), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC)… and is also actively carrying out the “East Look” policy.
With the strategy named “Saudi Arabia Vision 2030”, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
strives to become: 1). The heart of the Arab and Islamic world owing Mecca
and Medina – the Land of the Two Holy Mosques, the most sacred sites on earth;
2). A global investment powerhouse; 3). A global hub connecting three continents,
Asia, Europe and Africa because of locating in
the strategic geographic position. The Majesty King Salman Bin Abdulaziz
Al Saud made the commitment: “My first objective is for our country to be a
pioneering and successful global model of excellence, on all fronts, and I will
work with you to achieve that”. For gaining these goals, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia has been launching the ambitious plan of building a megacity NEOM in
order to make the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia new position, reducing its dependence
on oil and becoming a regional and global technological hub.
Vietnam’s
population is nearly 100 million people and its economic growth has reached
about 5.9% for the state of 2011-2020, listing in the group of high economic
growth in the region and world. The role and position of Vietnam has been upgraded
in the region and world. For instance, Vietnam was the chairman of ASEAN in
2020 and the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for
the term of 2020-2021. Its society is stable and foreign policy is independence,
self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification
and multilateralization of foreign relations; and aslo is a friend, a reliable
partner and an active and responsible member of the international community.
Vietnam and Saudi
Arabia established their diplomatic relation in October 21st 1999.
Currently, Saudi Arabia is one of leading economic partners of Vietnam in the
region of Middle East with the bilateral
trade turnover of nearly 2 billion USS in 2021, increasing 26.5% compared to
2020 even though being influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic. Vietnam is one of
the important partners of Saudi Arabia’s “East Look” policy. The potential and
room of cooperation between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia is still great.
In
the meeting between Institute for Africa and Middle East Studies (IAMES) and the
Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam, H.E.Amb. Mohammed Ismaeil
A.Dahlwy and Assoc.Prof.Dr. Le Phuoc Minh has the lively exchange about the
role, ideology and vision of the Majesty King Ibn Saudi and President Ho Chi
Minh who had the contribution to our national liberation and reunification that
is the fundamental foundation to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Vietnam
as nowadays. Although two countries are located in the different regions, Saudi
Arabia and Vietnam have some similarities like respect for family, love peace
and desire to make friends with all countries in the world… These are the
significant foundations for strengthening the bilateral cooperation between Vietnam
and Saudi Arabia. In order to enhance mutual understanding in contribution to
promoting the cooperative relation between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, the
Embassy will work closely with IAMES to co-organize seminars and workshops,
support to exchange experts and scientists of both sides, as well as connect
research institutes, universities, and scientific foundations of Saudi Arabia
with IAMES in coming time.
H.E.Amb. Mohammed Ismaeil A.Dahlwy
and Assoc.Prof.Dr. Le Phuoc Minh gave sourvenirs for each other.
Reported
by Pham Kim Hue