Viện Nghiên cứu Nam Á, Tây Á và Châu Phi

Africa - the cradle of humanity, is rich in natural resources, in which only its arable area accounts for 60% of the world's total one. With 55 countries, Africa is the youngest continent of the largest population under 25 years old in the world and its outlook 2050 will reach 1.2 billion people. However, Africa always faces instabilities, crises of food and nutrition, ect. The Middle East - a mysterious area with fairy tales “a thousand and one nights”, having the holy places like Jerusalem, Mecca, Medina, the world's largest oil and gas reserves, is one of the world's hottest issues including the seriously unresolved conflict between Israel and Palestine. Luckily, I have the opportunity of working at the Institute of African and Middle Eastern Studies (IAMES) since 2005 to study the two regions and to have the chances to field visit some African and Middle Eastern countries that made me love their people, cultures and nations. The African and Middle Eastern countries also love Vietnam resulting from the foundation of traditional friendly relationships, and increasingly well developed into the equal and mutually beneficial partnerships. In the context of climate change, the 4^th industrial revolution, the digital era, the green growth, the knowledge economy, ect. Vietnam should take advantage of the existing strengths, especially in the fields of agriculture, information technology, education and tourism to promote cooperative relations with the African and Middle Eastern countries for the sustainable development and prosperity of all in contribution to improving the position and "soft power" of Vietnam in the regions and the world.