Hanoi (VNA) – State President Luong Cuong and his spouse chaired a welcome ceremony in Hanoi on April 4 for President of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye and his spouse, who are paying an official visit to Vietnam from April 3-6.
The visit, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (April 16, 1975-2025) is considered a historical milestone in the two countries' relations, reflecting their desire to further strengthen the friendship and cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, trade, culture and society.
Diplomatic relations between the two nations were established on April 16, 1975. Vietnam and Burundi share many similarities in history and culture, with both having experienced struggles against colonialism. Burundi's leaders consider Vietnam as an example in the struggle for national liberation as well as national construction and development.
Over the past 50 years, the two countries have maintained fine relations through both Party and State channels. High-level exchanges have strengthened these ties, including Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's meeting with President Ndayishimiye on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in September 2023, and Secretary General of the National Council for the Defence of Democracy – Forces for the Defence of Democracy Révérien Ndikuriyo’s working visit to Vietnam in July 2024.
Economic and trade ties between the two countries have shown promising growth, with two-way trade topping 2 million USD in 2024. Vietnam primarily ships machinery, equipment, and computer and components to while importing minerals, ores, and animal feed from the African country.
A standout achievement in bilateral cooperation is the investment project by Vietnam's Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group in Burundi. Since establishing operations in 2013 as a joint venture with 85% ownership, Viettel launched its mobile network under the Lumitel brand across Burundi in June 2015. After a decade of operations, Lumitel has become the leading telecommunications provider in Burundi and one of the largest contributors to the Burundian government's budget, providing stable employment for over 60,000 workers and indirectly creating around 100,000 jobs.
With the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2021, Vietnam's trade with African markets is expected to increase significantly. Vietnam, a dynamic economy in Southeast Asia, has seen Africa, particularly East Africa, as a new, potential market rich in resources with numerous cooperation opportunities.
The relationship between the two countries will continue developing across multiple sectors, especially economy, trade, and investment on the back of strong political determination from leaders of both countries, abundant resources, and potential for collaboration. This partnership will contribute to realising each country's socio-economic development strategies while promoting peace, stability, prosperity, and development in both regions and continents.
After the welcome ceremony, President Luong Cuong and President Évariste Ndayishimiye had a private meeting and then led the two countries' high-level delegations to talks, which aim to evaluate the results of bilateral cooperation over the past time, and propose directions for the coming time. The two leaders will also witness the signing of a number of cooperation documents./.
