Dear friendly Kuwaiti people,
I would like to inform you that, I will be departing Kuwait for Viet Nam on 25/8/2014, upon completion of my assignment as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the State of Kuwait. I avail myself of this opportunity to express my sincere thanks for your good sentiments for Vietnam country, our Vietnamese Embassy and for me in the past more than 3 years.
During my tenure in Kuwait, I am pleased with the fine achievements reached by the two countries, reflecting the interests and support of the two governments and peoples, for a further consolidated and investment relations of the two countries have also had positive development. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) has been providing preferential loans for infrastructure development projects in the remote areas in Viet Nam (Bac Kan, Dien Bien, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh…), thus enhancing and improving the living standards of the local people…And as we are informed, a delegation of KFAED will come to Ha Noi this September to sign a new agreement to loan Viet Nam 4 million KWD for the project of “Rural infrastructure development of Hai Hau, Nam Dinh Province”.
The most prominent spot in investment cooperation between Viet Nam and Kuwait is the formation of Nghi Son Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Project in Thanh Hoa Province, Central Viet Nam – one of the largest investment projects in Viet Nam, with a capital of 9 billion US dollars which was signed between PetroVietNam, Kuwait Petroleum International Company (KPI) and two Japanese partners (Idemitsu Kosan Corp (IKC) and Mitsui Chemicals Inc (MCI)), in which KPI hold stakes of 35,1% and has committed to supply 100% crude oil for the plant in the long term.
The groundbreaking ceremony of this project was held in October 2013 with the participation of H.E.Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of Viet Nam and H.E. Mr. Mustafa Jassem Al-Shamali, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Oil of Kuwait and many other high ranking officials of Viet Nam, Kuwait and Japan. Construction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2016, and commercial operations are expected to commence in mid-2017 with a refining capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, equivalent to 10 million tons per year.
On trade relations, two-way volume has steadily increased, in 2013 reached U.S. $ 741.7 million of which Viet Nam exported 35.3 million USD and imports 706.3 million USD. More and more Vietnamese products now appear in supermarkets and trade centers of Kuwait, such as seafood, agricultural products, wood and wood products, textiles, footwear, mobile phones and accessories, etc…
Along with the success of economic, trade and investment cooperation, a number of other positive developments have been noted in bilateral relations: in April 2013, the Agreement on visa exemption for Diplomatic and Official passport holders officially took effect; the Government of Kuwait continues to grant scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in Language Centre at Kuwait University.
Especially, the Government and People of Viet Nam are very grateful that, the Government of Kuwait, in December 2013, donated 3 million USD for the people in central Viet Nam who were affected by a huge typhoon. We are proud that this bilateral relationship is built on the foundation of friendship, mutual respect and understanding and strong solidarity of the two Governments and Peoples. I do hope that you all continue to join us in activities aimed at boosting the Viet Nam – Kuwait relationship faster and stronger and commensurate with the potentials of the two countries.
Once again, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and the people of Kuwait for their kind sentiment and support given to Viet Nam and for the valuable and continued assistance rendered to the Embassy of Viet Nam in Kuwait. I know this is not the occasion for me to go long on our bilateral relationship.
I am leaving Kuwait with wonderful memories and will forever remember the friendly government and the lovely people. Though I am going to retire, I will still in one way or another continue to work for the relations between Viet Nam and the Middle East region, in particular between Viet Nam and Kuwait. Wishing you all good health, happiness and success!
Goodbye!
Bui Quoc Trung
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