KUWAIT: Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation will make an official visit to Kuwait from November 16 to 18, 2025. This is the first visit by a Vietnamese leader to Kuwait after 16 years, taking place at a time when the two countries are ready to elevate bilateral relations to a new height and preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations in January 2026.
During the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will meet with HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. He will also hold official talks with Kuwaiti Prime Minister HH Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Vietnam’s Prime Minister will also meet with Kuwaiti ministers and chairmen, as well as chief executives of top economic corporations. He will also deliver a keynote speech on Vietnam’s foreign policy and the strategic vision of Vietnam-Kuwait relations at the Saud Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute.
Vietnam-Kuwait bilateral relations are marked by strong mutual cooperation, particularly in investment and trade. Kuwait is the largest Middle Eastern investor in Vietnam, with its flagship project being the Nghi Son Refinery Petrochemical (NSRP) complex, where Kuwait’s capital contribution reaches $3.5 billion. Trade between the two countries is also thriving: in 2024, total bilateral turnover reached $7.3 billion, the highest trade volume Vietnam has recorded with any Middle Eastern country. Vietnam’s exports to Kuwait are becoming increasingly diverse and higher in value, including agricultural and aquatic products, fresh fruits, wooden products, machinery and equipment and electronics.
Cooperation extends beyond trade and investment. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has contributed $182 million to 15 infrastructure projects across Vietnam. At the local level, several memoranda of understanding have been signed — including between Ho Chi Minh City and Ahmadi Province, and Thanh Hoa Province and Farwaniya Province — strengthening cultural and tourism exchanges, as well as people-to-people ties.
Vietnam is increasingly recognized as a hub of innovation and development. The country ranks 32nd globally by GDP and is among the top 20 nations for both trade volume and foreign direct investment (FDI). With total trade exceeding $800 billion and foreign capital surpassing $500 billion, Vietnam is a key player in the regional and global economy, participating in 17 free trade agreements and over 500 other trade deals. GDP growth is projected to exceed 8 percent in 2025, with a target of over 10 percent in 2026.
On the international stage, Vietnam has diplomatic relations with 194 countries, including 38 Comprehensive and Strategic Partners. It actively engages in more than 70 major multilateral political, economic, and socio-cultural organizations, while also expanding its involvement in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions abroad.
