Vietnam and the Middle East-Africa: Firmly entering a new era

With the strategic orientation from the "Quad Pillar" Resolutions, Vietnam is proactively integrating deeply, promoting national strengths, and anticipating new development trends, in which the Middle East and Africa are important and potential partners for Vietnam to strengthen cooperation and realize development goals.

General Secretary and President To Lam and Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló held talks on September 6, 2024. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

The Middle East and Africa are no longer strange names on the map of Vietnam's foreign relations. This is a region that is rising strongly, with the world's leading dynamic development speed. The Middle East is the global energy center, a strategic gateway connecting the three continents of Asia, Europe and Africa.

Africa, with its young population, abundant resources and strong growth momentum, is becoming the world’s new growth pole. Many countries in the region, typically some Middle Eastern countries, are emerging as bright spots in areas such as energy transition, digital transformation, green transformation, artificial intelligence development, semiconductors, etc.

In the context of Vietnam proactively and actively promoting comprehensive and deep international integration and market diversification, the Middle East and Africa regions have emerged as important partners, contributing to promoting sustainable development, enhancing national competitiveness and ensuring economic security in the new era.

Besides, the political and diplomatic attention and support of countries in the region at major multilateral organizations and forums, especially the United Nations, is also a valuable source of encouragement and support for Vietnam in the process of international integration.

President Luong Cuong delivers a policy speech at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: Khanh Lam)

Breakthroughs, the foundation for a new stage of development

In recent times, the relationship between Vietnam and the Middle East-Africa region has achieved many positive results, creating a solid foundation to continue upgrading, enhancing, deepening relations with the region, more effectively attracting resources, and diversifying markets to serve the country's development.

Politics - Diplomacy: Strengthening trust, expanding relations

Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with all 70 Middle Eastern and African countries, including in 2024, for the first time, we upgraded our relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Comprehensive Partnership, the highest cooperation framework to date between Vietnam and a partner in the Middle East-Africa region, opening up new development space for people and businesses on both sides.

Vietnam also established relations for the first time with regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), the Arab League (AL), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)... and actively promoted relations between ASEAN and these organizations, contributing more to peace, cooperation and development in each region.

The exchange of high-level delegations, regular contacts, sharing and commitments of our senior leaders with senior leaders of regional countries not only create closeness and increase political trust between the two sides but also strengthen traditional cooperation areas such as agriculture, health, education, trade, investment, etc., while opening up many new areas of cooperation such as digital transformation, green growth, renewable energy, peacekeeping, etc. Multilateral cooperation with the region is constantly promoted, contributing to enhancing the country's position, demonstrating Vietnam's international responsibility in global issues.

In Africa, the image of Vietnamese blue beret soldiers has become familiar in United Nations peacekeeping operations. In addition, activities to help local people in their daily lives have also highlighted the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the hearts of friends in African countries. The seriousness in work, sincerity and dedication of Vietnamese soldiers to contribute to peace, stability and development in the region have been recognized and highly appreciated by the international community.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum witnessed the signing ceremony of the Vietnam-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on October 28, 2024.

Economy, trade, investment: Creating real change

Although trade turnover between Vietnam and the Middle East-Africa region has doubled in the 2016-2024 period, reaching about 34 billion USD in 2024, it is still not commensurate with the potential and needs of both sides when goods from Vietnam and Middle East-Africa countries are highly complementary and have many comparative advantages for mutual development.

Investment cooperation has become a bright spot in the economic relationship between the two sides. In addition to traditional forms of investment, investment funds and corporations from the region continue to invest indirectly in Vietnam, including in new forms. Large corporations such as PVN, Viettel, FPT, VinFast... are also expanding their presence in the Middle East-Africa region, demonstrating the strength of Vietnamese brands in the international market.

In particular, the Halal sector has emerged as a new pillar of cooperation, opening up a strategic direction in the relationship between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries. For the first time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has presided over the development of a national master plan on the development of Vietnam's Halal industry by 2030 and organized the first international Halal Conference chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in October 2024.

This event marks an important step of international integration of Vietnam's Halal industry into the global Halal ecosystem, opening up many opportunities for cooperation, investment and trade with the global Muslim market.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates take a photo before attending the Conference on promoting internal strength and strengthening international cooperation to boost the development of Vietnam's Halal industry in October 2024.

Cultural, sports and people-to-people cooperation: Strong connection from heart to heart

Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries have a good traditional friendship. The two sides stood side by side and supported each other in the past struggles for national liberation, sharing common values ​​in rich cultural traditions, valuing community, family, and neighborly love.

Outstanding cultural events organized by both sides in recent times such as Vietnam Day in Saudi Arabia and South Africa, Vietnamese Film Week in Africa, programs promoting traditional martial arts and Vovinam, which are developing strongly in Africa... have contributed to tightening and enriching the tradition of cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two sides.

Vietnam has also proactively promoted the establishment of a cultural center in the region, encouraged Halal tourism, and promoted student exchanges with regional countries. This is a testament to the commitment to promoting comprehensive cooperation, from politics, economics to culture, people-to-people exchanges, from overall strategies to close and sincere feelings between the two sides.

International friends exchange at Vietnam Day in South Africa 2023. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam in South Africa)

Firmly step into the era of growth

The situation in the Middle East-Africa region in 2025 and the coming years is forecast to continue to be complicated, with both opportunities and challenges intertwined, with opportunities tending to be more prominent. The Middle East-Africa is emerging as an attractive destination for international investors and businesses, including many large economies. With open market potential, abundant resources and an increasingly important role in the global value chain, this region is assessed to have the potential to become one of the new growth drivers of the world economy.

Middle Eastern and African countries are stepping up the implementation of key development strategies. The 2024-2033 period under the African Union’s Vision 2063 is marked as the “Decade of Acceleration” to build a “united, prosperous and peaceful” continent.

Important development strategies of the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, Kuwait Vision 2035, or recently the Strategic Vision for Gulf Regional Security are not only political commitments but also aim for comprehensive economic, social, and cultural transformation in the region.

2025 is a pivotal year for completing the implementation of the development goals of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and at the same time marking a historic turning point in the country's international integration process, in which integration is identified as a strategic driving force for Vietnam to firmly enter the New Era. In that context, promoting relations with the Middle East - Africa region demonstrates Vietnam's respect for its traditional friends and partners, conveying a message of proactive cooperation, shaping a peaceful, stable, and favorable environment for sustainable development in the two regions and in the world.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on the afternoon of July 23 in Dakar. (Source: VNA)

Identifying international integration as the cause of the entire people and the entire political system, with people and businesses as the center and creative subjects, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified a number of key groups of solutions to bring the relationship between Vietnam and the Middle East-Africa region firmly into a new era, specifically:

Firstly, continue to deepen political and diplomatic relations, focusing on effectively implementing all three pillars of Party foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, promoting international integration in politics, defense and security more deeply, comprehensively and effectively .

With many Middle Eastern and African countries considering Vietnam as a development model, new initiatives such as sharing development experiences, improving governance capacity for African countries, training management leaders or cooperating in ensuring energy security, food security, etc. help strengthen political trust, enhance Vietnam's position, role and international prestige in the region.

In the context of bilateral relations entering a new phase, Vietnam will gradually increase its diplomatic presence in Africa, in order to match the country's new position and strength as well as the requirements of relations in the new period.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son meets with Angolan Foreign Minister Téte António. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Second, create a breakthrough in economic - investment - trade cooperation, serving economic development and deep international integration. In the context that many Vietnamese enterprises have the need to diversify their markets, and are increasingly interested in the Middle East - Africa region, state management agencies need to promote negotiations and sign new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), attract more strategic investment sources from the region, and actively improve the legal framework for cooperation. We also need specific policies to support enterprises in developing new markets, improving legal capacity or easily accessing capital sources when there are investment projects in the region.

Along with that is promoting cooperation in new, potential fields such as science and technology, innovation, artificial intelligence... Countries in the Middle East-Africa region, especially the Gulf countries with potential and strengths in science, technology, capital, and experience in building large-scale financial centers, will be potential, important partners for Vietnam to expand development space in new economic fields.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang.

Third, strengthening cultural connections - a sustainable foundation for international cooperation and integration in culture, society and tourism. With the diversity in culture and the love of Vietnamese traditional martial arts of many Middle Eastern and African countries, promoting cultural, sports, tourism and people-to-people cooperation helps spread the image of the country and Vietnamese people as friendly and rich in identity to the people of the region. To meet the tastes and high-quality tourism needs of the people of the Middle East, especially in the Gulf region, Vietnamese ministries, branches and localities need to build a synchronous tourism product and service ecosystem that meets Halal standards, and research to have more Vietnamese tourism ambassadors in Middle Eastern and African countries...

In the integration process, the Vietnamese community abroad, Vietnamese medical and educational experts in Africa, etc. play a particularly important role, serving as a bridge of friendship connecting the Vietnamese people with the people of the Middle East and Africa, contributing to strengthening the nation's overall strength in the new era of national development.

Fourth, strengthen coordination between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries in multilateral forums and international organizations. This connection is important in contributing to shaping a fairer and more sustainable international political and economic order based on the principles of respect for international law, the United Nations Charter and equality among nations, thereby helping to raise a common voice and protect the legitimate interests of developing countries. This is the foundation for building a peaceful and stable international environment, serving the sustainable development of all nations.

The current relationship between Vietnam and the Middle East-Africa region is not only the result of a persistent process, but also an affirmation of a new future and vision. With the close guidance of the Party and State leaders, the synchronous participation of ministries, branches, localities and the business community, we have full determination and foundation to enter a new era with the region: the era of trustworthy cooperation, sustainable development and prosperity.