Hanoi (VNA) – Although located on different continents, Vietnam and Angola have long maintained a close and effective partnership, forged during their shared struggle for national independence and steadily strengthened over the past half century.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (November 12, 1975 – November 12, 2025), with a range of meaningful activities celebrating the milestone and deepening mutual understanding between their people.
Vietnam was the second country in the world to establish diplomatic relations with Angola, just one day after the African nation declared independence. Since then, the two nations have nurtured a traditional friendship through Party, Government, parliamentary and people-to-people channels, and have supported each other at multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.
High-level exchanges have been maintained regularly, including visits to Angola by State President Tran Duc Luong (2002), Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh (2008), Minister of Public Security To Lam (2023), and most recently, State President Luong Cuong (August 2025). From the Angolan side, notable visits include those by President of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) António Agostinho Neto in 1971, National Assembly Speaker Roberto de Almeida in 2004, and Vice President Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos in 2012. These exchanges have reinforced political trust and laid a firm foundation for comprehensive cooperation.
Bilateral trade has grown steadily, reaching nearly 250 million USD in 2024 and is expected to approach 270 million USD, with both sides targeting 1 billion USD as agreed during President Cuong’s visit to Angola in August. Agriculture remains a strategic focus given Vietnam’s strengths and Angola’s efforts to revive domestic production.
As of late 2024, Angola had four investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of 118.4 million USD, while Vietnamese investors ran four projects in Angola worth about 3 million USD. In June 2024, Xuan Thien Group was licensed by the Angolan Government to invest in several large-scale projects in the fields of energy, minerals and agriculture.
Education, healthcare, culture and tourism are also important areas of cooperation. Since the 1980s, Vietnam has sent many teachers and doctors to Angola, whose government and people have highly valued their contributions.
The naming of Ho Chi Minh Avenue in central Luanda stands as a powerful symbol of the enduring Vietnam–Angola friendship. Angola now hosts the largest Vietnamese community in Africa, numbering around 6,000 people, who play an increasingly visible role in the host country’s socio-economic life.
New momentum for next chapter
Looking back on five decades of partnership, Vietnamese Ambassador to Angola Duong Chinh Chuc highlighted the steady expansion of economic and trade ties — from goods exchange to investment and technical assistance — forming a solid foundation for a new phase of development.
He noted that Angola’s efforts to diversify its economy, reduce reliance on oil, and prioritise agriculture and manufacturing have opened new opportunities for cooperation. The 7th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee in March 2024 identified over 20 new areas of collaboration, while the Joint Statement issued during President Cuong’s state visit created new momentum for breakthrough progress.
Vietnamese enterprises are showing growing interest in Angola. The Xuan Thien Group’s large-scale investments, along with the establishment of the Vietnamese Business Association in Angola in June 2024, have created a reliable platform for trade promotion. The Vietnamese Embassy has continued to receive numerous requests for market and project information.
The Ambassador said agriculture will remain a spearhead sector, alongside new opportunities in infrastructure, energy, mining, healthcare and education. The two sides are also working to address logistics challenges. Vietnam’s support for Angola’s economic diversification reflects not only partnership but also trust, while Angola can serve as Vietnam’s gateway to West and Southern Africa, he said.
To implement the shared vision outlined in the 2025 Joint Statement, regular high-level exchanges should be maintained to strengthen trust and create a favourable political environment, he stated.
Both sides should adopt practical measures to support economic and technical cooperation, facilitate direct engagement between businesses and experts, and address logistical and payment bottlenecks. Updating the legal framework — through agreements on investment protection, double taxation avoidance, financial settlement and visa facilitation — will also help safeguard the people and assets of both nations, he added./.
