Africa Day 2026: Strengthening connections and expanding Vietnam - Africa cooperation

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan attended and spoke at Africa Day 2026. (Photo: Thanh Long)

The solemn ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan and representatives from the Embassies of eight African countries, including Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa.

In his speech at the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan emphasized that Africa Day is an occasion to honor the persistent efforts of African nations in their struggle for freedom, peace, unity, and development. It is also an opportunity for African friends worldwide to meet and share common values and aspirations for a peaceful, integrated, and prosperous Africa.

On behalf of the Government and People of Vietnam, the Deputy Minister extended warm congratulations to the governments and people of African countries, the ambassadors, heads of African diplomatic missions, and the African community living, studying, and working in Vietnam.

According to Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan, the year 2025 marked significant developments in the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and African nations. For the first time, the President, the Chairman of the National Assembly, and the Prime Minister of Vietnam all visited Africa in the same year. Vietnam also welcomed many high-level delegations from Africa and established or upgraded cooperation frameworks with three partners in the region for the first time.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan speaking at the ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Long)

Vietnam - Africa economic relations continued to grow positively, with bilateral trade in 2025 increasing by 27% compared to 2024. Many large Vietnamese enterprises are increasingly interested in investing and maintaining stable, long-term business operations in Africa.

Deputy Minister Le Anh Tuan affirmed that these results are evidence of the great potential for cooperation between the two sides, as well as the determination of the leaders to make Vietnam - Africa relations a model of South-South cooperation.

Based on mutual trust, traditional friendship, and the determination of the leaders and people on both sides, the Deputy Minister expressed confidence that Vietnam - Africa relations will continue to develop strongly in the spirit of "cooperation for development and mutual benefit", contributing to promoting peace, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region and the world.

Head of the Group of African Ambassadors, Ambassador of Morocco Jamale Chouaibi speaking at the ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Long)

On behalf of the African representatives, Ambassador of Morocco Jamale Chouaibi, Head of the Group of African Ambassadors, emphasized that Africa Day commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, honoring the spirit of solidarity and reminding of the shared responsibility in building a peaceful and prosperous Africa.

Sharing major orientations, the Ambassador stated that the African Union has declared 2026 as the "Year of Ensuring Sustainable Water and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063" to address climate change and protect public health. Economically, Africa is steadfast in integrating through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a landmark achievement expected to expand Africa's economy to $29 trillion by 2050.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan and Ambassador of Morocco Jamale Chouaibi raise a toast to celebrate the 63rd Africa Day. (Photo: Thanh Long)

Praising the bilateral relations, Ambassador Jamale Chouaibi affirmed that the partnership between Africa and Vietnam is built on mutual respect and holds great potential. According to the Ambassador, Vietnam's remarkable achievements in poverty reduction, industrial development, and agricultural transformation are valuable lessons for African countries. Currently, trade and investment flows between the two sides are growing steadily, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of South-South cooperation in sustainable agriculture, technology transfer, and trade facilitation.

Within the framework of the event, to promote people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding, eight African diplomatic missions in Hanoi (including Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa) presented a unique cultural space, showcasing the continent's diversity through traditional food, beverages, and music.

Delegates take a group photo. (Photo: Thanh Long)