The visits are made at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al Sabah, Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Sifi Ghrieb, and Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa who is President of the Republic of South Africa and Chair of the G20 in 2025.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh’s working trip to a series of Middle Eastern and African countries, combined with his participation in the G20 Summit, further reaffirms Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and the diversification and multilateralization of external relations. Vietnam remains a reliable partner that is increasingly pro-active, dynamic, and responsible in contributing to global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse (Photo: VGP) |
Through both bilateral and multilateral engagements, the Prime Minister’s trip will vividly convey the message of Vietnam’s new era of development, highlight the nation’s potential and strengths, and create opportunities to advance and expand cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels.
This working trip of the Prime Minister underscores Vietnam’s consistent policy of valuing relations with Middle Eastern and African countries, including Kuwait, Algeria, and South Africa. It contributes to strengthening political trust, deepening friendship, and promoting multifaceted cooperation with these three nations in particular and with the Middle East - Africa region as a whole. Through the practical cooperation frameworks and mechanisms to be established, Vietnam and its partners will shape a promising future of collaboration and set forth a new vision for relations between Vietnam and the Middle East - Africa region.
South Africa was the first country in Africa to establish a partnership framework for cooperation and development with Vietnam. As the largest economy in Africa, the G20 Chair in 2025, and a key member of BRICS, South Africa is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner and export market on the continent. The two countries have not only maintained strong political and diplomatic ties, but also developed practical cooperation in agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and local-level collaboration. The Prime Minister’s bilateral activities in South Africa will help strengthen the partnership for cooperation and development between the two nations in a more substantive and effective manner.
The official visit to Kuwait takes place at a favorable moment for both sides to enhance their cooperation. This is the first visit by a senior leader of Vietnam to Kuwait in 16 years and comes at a time when the two countries prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in January 2026.
Kuwait has recently adjusted its foreign policy to place greater emphasis on Asian nations, including ASEAN countries, and currently holds the chairmanship of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). With shared political will and a convergent vision for sustainable development, the two sides have many commonalities to further advance cooperation and bring tangible benefits to both peoples.
As for Algeria, a nation with which Vietnam shares its deepest and most longstanding traditional friendship in Africa, bilateral relations have developed well across all fields, including politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, defense, security, labor, culture, and sports. Over the past 63 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Algeria has consistently offered Vietnam strong support and assistance during the country’s reconstruction and development. Four streets in Algeria bear the names of renowned Vietnamese cultural figures, including two major boulevards named after President Ho Chi Minh in Algiers. Building on these solid foundations, the Prime Minister’s official visit to Algeria will unlock new potential, seize opportunities, and elevate bilateral relations into a new phase of more comprehensive and sustainable development.
Building on the fruitful cooperation between Vietnam and the G20, the Prime Minister’s participation in the G20 Summit, at the invitation of South Africa, the G20 Chair, provides an opportunity for Vietnam to further affirm its growing role, prestige, and international standing within multilateral forums. It also reinforces and clarifies Vietnam’s commitment to pro-active and responsible contribution toward common development goals and responses to global challenges.
As the G20 remains a crucial multilateral cooperation forum with increasing influence on urgent global issues, Vietnam’s participation allows the country to put forward concrete initiatives and proposals for the group’s priority agendas. Having been invited to the G20 Summit six times, Vietnam has contributed to several cooperative initiatives within the G20 framework, helping advance collective efforts to address global challenges and shape economic governance and global norms.
With significant importance in both bilateral and multilateral dimensions, the Prime Minister’s working trip is expected to create new momentum for advancing Vietnam’s relations with South Africa, Kuwait, and Algeria; strengthen cooperation and effectiveness within multilateral forums; and further affirm Vietnam’s new stature and presence on the international stage.
By Editorial Board of the People’s Army Newspaper
Translated by Tran Hoai