Jordan pledges support for Vietnam’s halal industry amid broader cooperation

The talks followed a formal welcome ceremony hosted by President Cuong for King Abdullah II, who arrived earlier that day for a two-day official visit at the Vietnamese leader’s invitation.

Both leaders noted that bilateral cooperation in recent years has been modest and has not fully reflected the potential of their countries.

They agreed to elevate collaboration across multiple sectors to a new stage.

In the economic sphere, the two sides pledged to facilitate market access for each other’s key products.

Highlighting Vietnam’s strengths in agriculture, President Cuong emphasized the country’s readiness to expand exports to Jordan.

King Abdullah II reaffirmed Jordan’s support by sharing expertise on halal standards and certification, as well as opening Jordanian markets to Vietnamese products that meet these requirements.

Halal goods, which comply with strict Islamic law from ingredients to processing and transport, extend beyond food to include cosmetics, tourism, logistics, and more, offering broad opportunities for cooperation.

The leaders encouraged businesses from both countries to explore investments in infrastructure, green and digital economies, telecommunications, manufacturing, agricultural processing, and startup and innovation ecosystems.

They also discussed cooperation in healthcare, particularly telemedicine and technology-driven medical services, as well as in education, promoting student and academic exchanges in emerging fields such as science, technology, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors.

They emphasized the importance of strengthening political trust through high-level delegation exchanges and called for the effective implementation of a recent memorandum of understanding between the foreign ministries of both sides.

Building on this trust, the two leaders agreed to expand collaboration in defense, security, information sharing, and professional exchanges between security institutions.

Additional cooperation was also discussed, including the appointment of honorary consuls to facilitate collaboration.

King Abdullah II proposed studying direct flight routes and easing visa procedures for citizens of both countries.

On multilateral platforms, Vietnam and Jordan pledged to continue consultations, support each other’s candidacies, and act as a bridge to strengthen ties between the Arab League and ASEAN.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional matters of mutual concern, including the East Vietnam Sea issue.