The statement is an affirmation of the sentiments cultivated over more than half a century between the two countries, which, although geographically separated by thousands of miles, are close and in harmony in their national spirit.
Nurturing and promoting comradeship and brotherhood
The state visit by President Luong Cuong, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation to the Republic of Angola was hosted by President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço and his spouse. The ceremony was held with the highest honours at the Angolan Presidential Palace in the capital, Luanda, featuring a 21-gun salute — a display of profound respect and special affection from the Angolan state towards the Vietnamese delegation.
Fifty years ago, when Viet Nam achieved the complete liberation of the South and national reunification, Angola too rejoiced in its independence, marking the end of a long struggle against colonialism. Just one day after Angola declared independence, Viet Nam became the second country in the world to officially establish diplomatic relations with Angola — an act which, as President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço reaffirmed today, was “a profoundly noble gesture.”
The friendship and solidarity between Viet Nam and Angola were forged during their respective struggles for national liberation. In their most difficult times, the two nations served as sources of spiritual support for one another, sharing valuable experiences.
The relationship was founded through the historic visits of Antonio Agostinho Neto, Chairman of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and the “immortal leader” of the Angolan people, to Viet Nam in August 1971, and of General Vo Nguyen Giap, the “general of peace”, to Angola in December 1980.
Contributing to the shared achievements that have sustained the close relationship between the two countries and peoples across vast oceans for more than half a century, the arrival of the first 11 agricultural and medical experts in Angola in the late 1970s marked the beginning of a remarkable journey. Since then, tens of thousands of Vietnamese teachers, doctors, and ordinary citizens have gone to live and work in schools, medical facilities, farms, and construction projects; standing side by side with the Angolan people even in the most difficult circumstances and periods, making positive and proud contributions to Angola’s reconstruction and development process.
The Vietnamese community in Angola has worked diligently, playing an increasingly visible role in cultural exchange and in promoting the host country’s socio-economic development, all while maintaining strong ties to their homeland. Phạm Cong Duc, a Vietnamese living and working in Angola, shared that despite being tens of thousands of kilometres away, Vietnamese people remain united, law-abiding, and committed to contributing to Angola’s economic growth, creating jobs for the local people, and building a positive image of Viet Nam, while always turning their hearts toward the homeland.
This traditional friendship has been preserved, nurtured, and strengthened through generations, and is further reinforced by President Luong Cuong’s visit. When speaking with members of the Angolan National Assembly, the President expressed: “Together with the high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam, I felt particularly moved, as if returning home, when travelling along Ho Chi Minh Avenue — the largest boulevard in the capital city of Luanda — which our friends have so respectfully named after the great leader of the Vietnamese nation.”
Speaker of the Angolan National Assembly Carolina Cerqueira emphasised that Viet Nam is a friend “always in the heart of Angola.” She noted that President Luong Cuong’s visit reaffirms a friendship built on mutual respect, solidarity, and cooperation for development. She expressed her hope that this tradition will be passed on to younger generations, bringing the two nations closer and deepening their understanding of each other’s people and culture.
A historic milestone
Over more than five decades, despite being continents apart, Viet Nam and Angola have maintained a relationship of growing exchanges and cooperation.
Angola recognised Viet Nam’s full market economy status in April 2008. In 2024, bilateral trade reached nearly 250 million USD. By December 2024, Angola had four investment projects in Viet Nam worth a total of 118.4 million USD, while Viet Nam had four investment projects in Angola, worth 2.98 million USD.
In the past, the two nations stood shoulder to shoulder, inspiring each other in the fight for independence.
Today, in the face of profound global changes, there is an even greater need to strengthen solidarity and elevate the traditional friendship to new heights — deeper in political ties, stronger in economic cooperation, and broader in people-to-people exchanges.
President Luong Cuong’s state visit not only reaffirms the steadfast friendship built over the past half-century but also provides an opportunity for both countries to discuss measures for raising the relationship to new heights.
This was reflected in the issuance of the Viet Nam–Angola Joint Statement by the two heads of state, expressing their commitment to opening a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.
During the visit, eight cooperation documents were signed between ministries and agencies, witnessed by both leaders. These include agreements on mutual legal assistance; a letter of intent on defence cooperation; an action plan on agricultural cooperation; a television cooperation agreement; and an oil and gas partnership — creating a solid foundation for enhancing Viet Nam–Angola cooperation.
Speaking at a joint press conference with President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President Luong Cuong stated: “I firmly believe that if we strengthen trade promotion and business connections, raising bilateral trade to 1 billion USD in the near future is entirely achievable. Angola is one of Viet Nam’s most important partners — a comrade and brother in Africa — and we look forward to opening a new stage of development, both in quality and scale, to make the Viet Nam–Angola Cooperative Partnership for Joint Development a model for South–South cooperation.”
President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço reaffirmed that Angola, in its development journey, wishes to work closely with Viet Nam in cooperative development.
This visit by President Luong Cuong and the high-level Vietnamese delegation marks a historic milestone, laying the groundwork for the Viet Nam–Angola relationship to enter a new phase of deeper and stronger development. The two countries will continue to be trusted companions, defending the interests of developing nations and contributing to global stability.
