Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló concludes official visit to Vietnam: Party General Secretary and President of Vietnam To Lam (R) and Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló meet in Hanoi September 6, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

While in Vietnam, President Embaló attended an official welcome ceremony and held talks with Party General Secretary and State President To Lam. The two leaders witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on establishing a political and diplomatic consultation mechanism between the two countries’ foreign ministries, and an MoU on agricultural cooperation between the two ministries of agriculture and rural development. The top Vietnamese leader and his spouse also hosted a banquet in honour of their Guinea-Bissau guests.

The Guinea-Bissau President also met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, who expressed their confidence that the visit, the first delegation exchange at the head of state level between the two countries since they established diplomatic ties in 1973, would create new momentum for the two countries’ traditional friendship and cooperation, building on recent bilateral delegation exchanges, joint work, and mutual support.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam and Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló witness the signing of an MoU between the two Foreign Ministries in Hanoi September 6, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

President Embaló expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s revolutionary cause and national construction efforts, noting that a secondary school in Guinea-Bissau has been named after late President Ho Chi Minh.

He affirmed that Vietnam is considered as a model for developing countries in Africa, including Guinea-Bissau.

The Vietnamese and Guinea-Bissau leaders updated each other on their respective countries' situation and expressed their satisfaction with the positive outcomes in bilateral relations, especially as the two sides celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations last year. They also discussed ways to further step up cooperation in the time to come.

As part of his visit, the Guinea-Bissau President visited the Field Crops Research Institute (FCRI) under the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), in the northern province of Hai Duong and participated in other activities.