Doha: Vietnam and Qatar are looking to give fresh momentum to their more than three-decade-old partnership, with greater trade, investment, energy and technology cooperation emerging as key areas for expanding bilateral ties, Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar H E Nguyen Huy Hiep said.
Speaking at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Vietnam in Qatar to mark the 81st Anniversary of Vietnam’s Independence Day, Ambassador Hiep said the two countries have built a positive relationship since establishing diplomatic ties in 1993, founded on trust, mutual respect and mutual benefit.
The reception was attended by Minister of Labour H E Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri, Director of the Protocol Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Ambassador Ibrahim Fakhroo.
“Over more than three decades, bilateral relationship has continued to develop positively across a wide range of areas,” Ambassador Hiep said, highlighting the Joint Committee and political consultations between the two foreign ministries as important mechanisms for maintaining exchanges and strengthening cooperation.
He said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Qatar in October 2024 had provided “significant momentum” to bilateral relations and “opened a new chapter of cooperation,” particularly in the economic, trade, investment and energy sectors.
The ambassador said the two countries now have an opportunity to build on their complementary economic strengths and translate growing political ties into more substantive business and investment partnerships.
Bilateral trade reached $700 million in 2025, with Vietnam exporting machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts, iron and steel products, vessels, computers and electronic components, and seafood to Qatar. Vietnam’s main imports from Qatar included gas, plastics, other base metals and chemicals.
Despite the growth, Ambassador Hiep said the current trade volume remains modest compared with the potential of the two economies.
“There is therefore considerable scope to expand market access, diversify the range of traded goods and increase bilateral trade value in the years ahead,” he said.
Investment is another area where Vietnam sees considerable room for stronger cooperation. Hiep said Qatar currently has one direct investment project in Vietnam in the processing and manufacturing sector, with registered capital of $3.23 million.
He also noted that, according to Qatari sources, the Qatar Investment Authority has invested approximately $500 million indirectly in a number of real estate and industrial projects in Vietnam through development banks and third-party investment funds.
The ambassador said Vietnam is keen to attract more Qatari investment, particularly in sectors where Qatar has established strengths and which correspond with Vietnam’s development priorities.
These include oil and gas, particularly LNG, large-scale infrastructure, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data and cloud computing, industrial and urban infrastructure, trade, services, tourism and emerging technologies.
Looking ahead, the ambassador said Vietnam wants cooperation to focus not only on increasing trade but also on developing concrete investment projects, building stronger business partnerships and creating new value chains.
“We believe that this will be a vital pathway to elevate Vietnam-Qatar relations toward greater depth, substance and efficiency in the coming years,” he said.
Ambassador Hiep also addressed the wider regional situation, expressing Vietnam’s support for dialogue and peaceful means to resolve conflicts. He said Vietnam condemns the use of force in violation of international law, the UN Charter and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
He particularly praised Qatar’s diplomatic efforts, saying Vietnam “highly appreciates” Qatar’s active role as a mediator in efforts to de-escalate regional tensions and work towards sustainable peace and stability.
