Participants in the establishment ceremony for the Israel - Vietnam Friendship Association pose for a group photo. (Photo: VNA)
Tel Aviv (VNA) – The Israel - Vietnam FriendshipAssociation has been established with a view to increasing people diplomacy between the two countries.
The establishment ceremony was held at the Israeli Foreign Ministry’sheadquarters on January 22, one of the activities ahead of the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.
The association gathers generations of Israeli ambassadors, deputy ambassadors, and diplomats who used to work in Vietnam over the last 20 years. Some of them have retired or moved to the private sector but stillmaintain their special sentiment towards the Southeast Asian nation.
Association Chairman Amikam Levy, who served as Ambassador toVietnam from 2001 to 2003, said the organisation hopes to further promote andintensify relations between the two countries, which boast a number ofsimilarities, particularly in culture.
Former Deputy Ambassador Eyal Buvilski said the time he workedin Vietnam was a great experience for not only himself but also his family.
As bilateral ties are flourishing at the governmental level,it’s time for the people diplomacy to develop correspondingly, and the founding of the association is to do so, he noted, expressing his hope thatmore Israeli and Vietnamese people will visit each other’s countries.
Vietnamese Ambassador Ly Duc Trung said Vietnam attachesimportance to the people diplomacy, which has a crucial role to play increating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for developing thecountry and raising its stature.
He added businesses of the countries have enjoyed thrivingpartnerships, but more cooperation between the two peoples is necessary forfostering bilateral relations.
Trung expected the association will become acommon home for all to contribute to the reinforcement of these ties./.
A delegation of the Ministry of Planning and Investment paid a visit to Israel from September 4 to 9 to learn experience in developing the collective economy and cooperatives there.
A delegation led by Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan visited Israel from September 14-16 to learn from experience in administration building and urban development.
A Vietnamese business delegation made a trip to Israel on November 3-4 during which they attended a Vietnam-Israel conference on production and trade cooperation in Tel Aviv.
The 30th anniversary of the Vietnam-Israel diplomatic relations in 2023 opens the door for the Vietnamese Embassy in the Western Asian nation to step up economic-diplomacy-related activities, especially promoting the early approval of a bilateral free trade agreement, affirmed Ambassador Ly Duc Trung.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on December 30 extended congratulations to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Speaker of the Parliament Amir Ohana of Israel on the establishment of Israel’s new government and election of parliament speaker.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Participants in the establishment ceremony for the Israel - Vietnam Friendship Association pose for a group photo. (Photo: VNA) 
