Luanda: Vietnamese President Luong Coung arrived in Luanda for a 72-hour state visit to Angola, responding to an invitation from his Angolan counterpart, Joo Louren§o. Upon his arrival, President Coung was greeted by Foreign Minister T©te Ant³nio along with other senior Angolan officials.
According to Angola Press News Agency, President Coung's itinerary during his visit includes a speech at the National Assembly during a plenary meeting held in his honor. He is also scheduled to lay a wreath at the memorial plaque dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, a key figure in Vietnam's history, and pay homage at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Luanda.
Diplomatic relations between Angola and Vietnam date back to November 12, 1975, shortly after Angola gained independence. The Vietnamese government promptly recognized Angola's independence, and the two nations established embassies. Initial political contacts were initiated in 1971 when Ant³nio Agostinho Neto, then president of the MPLA, visited Vietnam to garner support for Africa's liberation movements.
The relationship between Angola and Vietnam was further solidified in 1978 with the signing of the General Cooperation Agreement, which laid the foundation for various treaties facilitating economic and technical-scientific cooperation. Notably, both countries are bound by several agreements, including a Cooperation Protocol between their foreign ministries in 2002, a Visa Exemption Agreement for diplomatic passports in 2008, and a Memorandum of Understanding between Sonangol and Petro Vietnam.
In the economic sector, the two nations have signed a Fisheries and Aquaculture Agreement, encouraging collaboration in Agriculture, Industry, Construction, and other key areas. This visit by President Coung aims to reinforce these long-standing ties and explore further opportunities for collaboration.
