Luanda (VNA) – Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço and his spouse chaired an official welcome ceremony for visiting Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong and his spouse at the Presidential Palace in Luanda at noon on August 7 (local time), with the highest protocol for a head of state.

This is the highest-level visit by a key leader of Vietnam after many years. It takes place at a time as the two nations are preparing for the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties (November 12, 1975 – 2025).

The two countries have enjoyed warm and longstanding cooperation through party, government, parliamentary, and people-to-people channels. They have also provided mutual support throughout their respective national development journeys, as well as in multilateral forums, particularly within the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement. Regular exchanges and meetings, especially at the high levels, have helped to deepen mutual understanding, strengthen political trust, and establish a shared strategic vision for the bilateral relations.

Angola recognised Vietnam’s full market economy status in 2008. Although bilateral trade remains modest, it is on an upward trajectory. Trade between the two countries reached nearly 250 million USD, with Vietnam exporting rice, garments, coffee, confectionery, and cereal products, while importing wood products and liquefied gas from Angola.

As of December 2024, Angola had four investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of 118.4 million USD, while Vietnam had four projects in Angola worth nearly 3 million USD.

Angola is home to the largest Vietnamese community in Africa, with approximately 6,000 people who have contributed to local economic and social development. Vietnamese businesses have shown increasing interest in Angola, particularly in the fields of oil and gas, construction, consumer goods, and agriculture. Angolan enterprises have also expressed their interest in cooperation with Vietnam in various fields such as telecommunications and high-tech agriculture.

Healthcare and education remain central pillars of bilateral cooperation. Since the 1980s, Vietnam has sent professionals to Angola, where their expertise and dedication have earned widespread appreciation from local authorities and communities.

The achievements to date stand as a vivid testimony to the close-knit relationship between Angola and Vietnam, not only in political and diplomatic spheres but also across concrete areas of cooperation, aimed at sustainable and mutually beneficial development.

Amid global economic uncertainties, the visit underscores Vietnam’s commitment to diversifying its markets and partners, particularly in Africa - a continent with 1.5 billion people, abundant resources, a rising middle class, and a growing role in the global economy.

This visit is an important milestone, opening up a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries. It will lay the groundwork for the two nations to enhance cooperation in key areas such as green transition and digital transformation, energy, agriculture, education, healthcare, labour, climate change, tourism, and cultural exchange. It is also expected to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses and investors, especially in the spheres of telecoms and energy, to expand their presence across Africa.

Angola, which is currently holding the rotating chairmanship of the African Union (AU), plays an increasingly important role in the United Nations and other multilateral forums. Vietnam has served as an observer of the AU since 2023. The visit offers an important opportunity to enhance cooperation between Vietnam and the AU, as well as between Angola and ASEAN, positioning both nations as crucial bridges fostering inter-regional partnerships.

Immediately after the welcome ceremony, President Luong Cuong and President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço had a tête-à-tête and then led high-ranking delegations of the two countries to hold official talks to discuss measures to contribute to deepening and making the bilateral relations more effective./.