UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a congratulatory message to President Luong Cuong of Vietnam on the occasion of the Southeast Asian nation’s National Day, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency. The message was dispatched as Vietnam celebrated the 80th anniversary of its declaration of independence on September 2, 1945. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, along with His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also sent parallel messages to both the Vietnamese president and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
The exchanges reflect the warm bilateral relations that have developed since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1993, previous statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have indicated on similar occasions. Vietnam has emerged as a key partner for the UAE in the ASEAN bloc, serving as a gateway to a market of more than 600 million people. Reciprocal congratulations have been a regular feature of the two countries’ diplomatic calendar.
According to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, non-oil bilateral trade expanded 16.9 percent year on year to $7.02 billion in the first six months of 2025. The ministry’s figures show that full-year trade for 2024 stood at $12.6 billion, marking a 54.3 percent increase from 2019 levels. Vietnam retained its ranking as the UAE’s largest non-oil trading partner within ASEAN throughout this period.
A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed in late 2024 between the UAE and Vietnam came into effect in February 2026, Zawya reported. The deal is projected to remove tariffs on more than 90 percent of UAE exports to Vietnam and 95 percent of Vietnamese imports to the UAE. Both sides have set an ambitious target to lift two-way trade to $20 billion in the coming years, according to Vietnamese customs data.
In a visible symbol of solidarity, the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, was lit up with the Vietnamese national flag on the evening of the National Day, VietnamNet reported. The landmark display was accompanied by a public message wishing the people of Vietnam continued growth and success. The ADNOC headquarters in Abu Dhabi featured a similar illumination to mark the occasion.
The lighting of iconic structures forms part of broader cultural diplomacy efforts that accompany the deepening economic links. UAE non-oil trade with the wider ASEAN region climbed to $37.7 billion in 2024, a 4.2 percent rise on the prior year, the Ministry of Foreign Trade data indicates. Continued collaboration in sectors ranging from energy to technology is expected to sustain this momentum.
