Implementing the political consultation mechanism between the two Foreign Ministries, from February 11-12, 2023, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu visited Bahrain and co-chaired the first Deputy Ministerial Political Consultation with Mr. Bahrain’s Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.
Within the framework of his visit to Bahrain, Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu met with Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade His Royal Highness Prince Hamad bin Salman Al Khalifa and Vice Chairman of the Business Council. ASEAN-Bahrain Feryal Abdullah Nass.
At the meetings, the two sides highly appreciated that the Foreign Ministry of the two countries held the meeting for the first time Political consultation since signing the Memorandum of Understanding in 2007, delighted at the positive developments in bilateral cooperation, especially in the political-diplomatic field. However, the two sides realized that the economic cooperation relationship was still not commensurate with the potential and expectations.
Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu expressed his hope that this visit to Bahrain by the Vietnamese delegation would contribute to promoting bilateral cooperation in the coming time.
Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu and His Royal Highness Prince Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa agreed that the foreign ministries of the two countries should closely coordinate and implement measures to improve the efficiency of bilateral cooperation, such as increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations, promoting people-to-people exchanges; coordinate and support each other at international and regional forums and organizations; encourage businesses of the two sides to strengthen connections, participate in trade and investment promotion activities to seek business opportunities; strengthen cooperation between business associations of the two countries such as the ASEAN-Bahrain Business Council and the Vietnam Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
The two sides create favorable conditions for import and export of products with strengths in each country; expanding cooperation to other potential fields such as oil and gas, energy, tourism, logistics, Halal industry…; negotiate and sign agreements to facilitate legal cooperation.
Also on this occasion, the two sides exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade His Royal Highness Prince Hamad bin Salman Al Khalifa shared regarding Bahrain’s economic cooperation strategy with ASEAN countries, including Vietnam; They agreed that the two countries have many similarities in the development of key development areas and affirmed that they will actively support the ministries, branches, agencies and businesses of the two sides to connect and explore cooperation opportunities.
Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu suggested that Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry and Trade continue to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods to export to Bahrain and support Vietnamese company developed in Bahrain; and at the same time make specific cooperation proposals between ministries, branches and economic agencies of the two countries.
At the meeting with the Vice Chairman of the ASEAN-Bahrain Business Council, Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu highly appreciated the positive role of the Council in promoting economic relations between Bahrain and ASEAN countries, proposing that the Council continue to continue to support business connection of the two sides and invite Council members to visit Vietnam to seek cooperation and investment opportunities.
[Bahrain mở văn phòng xúc tiến thương mại tại Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh]
Ms. Feryal Abdullah Nass, Vice Chairman of the Council, said that the Board of Directors is very interested in Vietnam and affirmed that it will actively coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia concurrently with Bahrain to carry out promotional activities. commercial development in the near future.
Also at the meeting, Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu met representatives of Bahraini businesses and a number of Vietnamese businessmen living and working in Bahrain.
(VNA/Vietnam+)