Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received the new German ambassador, Jutta Frasch, and Saudi Arabian Minister of Finance Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf in Hanoi on October 9.

   PM Dung and new German ambassador Jutta Frasch.

At a reception for the German diplomat, PM Dung said he is pleased with the fine development of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Germany, especially in the areas of politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, official development assistance, education and training.

The Vietnamese Government leader asked Germany to continue providing ODA for infrastructure projects and human resources development in Vietnam and support the country in promoting relations with the EU, as well as in negotiations for an EU free trade agreement (FTA).

He said he hopes Ambassador Frasch will use her position to make positive contributions to bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, investment, education and training.

Ms Frasch said she will coordinate with relevant Vietnamese agencies during her term in Hanoi to boost the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership and implement Germany-funded projects in Vietnam.

She added that she hopes the Vietnamese Government will facilitate her mission to improve the effective and substantial strategic partnership between the two countries.

PM Dung also met with the Saudi Arabian Minister of Finance, who is also the President of the Saudi Development Fund (SDF), and thanked the Saudi Arabian Government for its investment in Vietnam through the SDF.

He said he hopes the fund will continue to pour more capital into Vietnam and increase bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and labour.

The Vietnamese Government will create favourable conditions for investors from Saudi Arabia to do business successfully in Vietnam, he added.

Minister Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf said he was very pleased with his visit, during which two SDF projects for transport infrastructure and vocational training were signed.

With experience investing in projects in 74 countries around the world, the SDF will continue to provide capital for infrastructure development and energy projects in Vietnam.

He also said he hopes both sides will expand cooperation in oil, gas and agriculture in the future.

(VOV)