At a recent meeting, Deputy Director General Au Anh Tuan congratulated Ambassador Bader Almatrooshi on his successful tenure in Vietnam, highlighting the robust cooperation between the two nations. Both countries have made significant strides in high-level exchanges and have successfully concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA Vietnam-UAE).

The two sides also discussed ways to enhance collaboration in various sectors such as economy, trade, investment, and logistics.

Ambassador Almatrooshi mentioned the UAE's recent achievements in economic development, digital transformation, and green transition, positioning the country as a regional logistics hub.

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs Au Anh Tuan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Vietnam Bader Almatrooshi. Photo: H.Nụ

The meeting underscored the positive trajectory of bilateral trade between Vietnam and the UAE. In 2023, the two-way trade reached nearly US$4.7 billion, marking a 5.9% increase compared to the previous year. Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of over US$4 billion, while imports from the UAE exceeded US$676 million. This makes the UAE Vietnam's largest trading partner in the Middle East.

Notably, key Vietnamese exports to the UAE include mobile phones, computers, electronics, pepper, seafood, footwear, textiles, grains, plastics, and furniture. Conversely, the UAE primarily exports raw plastics, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), petroleum products, animal feed, base metals, and chemicals to Vietnam.

Furthermore, the UAE also serves as a vital transshipment hub for Vietnamese goods destined for the Middle East. Furthermore, the UAE currently has 40 FDI projects in Vietnam, with a total investment capital of US$71.7 million.

Ambassador Almatrooshi emphasized the successful conclusion of the CEPA negotiations between Vietnam and the UAE, including chapters on customs procedures and trade facilitation. He also mentioned ongoing discussions between the customs authorities of both countries to finalize a cooperation agreement.

Deputy Director General Au Anh Tuan encouraged the ambassador to further engage with the UAE Customs to expedite the negotiation process of this agreement.

Recognizing the rapid development and digital transformation of the UAE Customs, the Vietnamese customs authority expressed its interest in learning from the UAE's experience in applying modern technology to customs management.