Vietnam fortifies technical cooperation with UAE, Saudi Arabia

The meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat and Under-Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology Omar Al Suwaidi on October 29 (Photo: most.gov.vn)

Riyadh – A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Science and Technology (MST) Huynh Thanh Dat held a working session with the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation (SASO) on October 29.

The activities formed part of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to the UAE and working trip to Saudi Arabia.

At the meeting with the MoIAT, Dat underscored the importance of enhancing technical support for the Halal Certification Centre under the MST’s Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ).

He also expressed a desire to facilitate the exchange of experts between Vietnam and the UAE, and called for collaboration opportunities in product conformity assessments prior to export, ensuring compliance with UAE market standards.

The minister wished for constructive feedback from MoIAT Under-Secretary Omar Al Suwaidi to bring these plans to fruition in the near future.

Al Suwaidi, in turn, underlined the need to step up collaboration in the Halal sector in line with the memorandum of understanding regarding standards, metrology and quality signed in 2023.

On October 29 afternoon, STAMEQ and SASO signed a technical cooperation agreement in the presence of Dat.

Talking with SASO Governor Saad Alkasabi, the Vietnamese official noted that under the deal, the two sides will make joint efforts in standardisation and training, conformity assessment, legal and industrial metrology, testing and laboratories, calibration, information exchange, mutual recognition between conformity assessment organisations, digital transformation of quality infrastructure, and the exchange of expertise and personnel.

Alkasabi said he hope to see STAMEQ and SASO support each other to improve the effectiveness of their joint activities in science and technology, thus contributing to the Vietnam - Saudi Arabia friendship./.