President of Sierra Leone begins official visit to Vietnam
President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, his spouse, and the country’s high-ranking delegation arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on March 14 afternoon, starting a seven-day official visit to Vietnam.
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and his Sierra Leone counterpart Julius Maada Bio meet on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly's 76th session in New York on September 23, 2021. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – President of SierraLeone Julius Maada Bio, his spouse, and the country’s high-ranking delegationarrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on March 14 afternoon,starting a seven-day official visit to Vietnam.
The visit is made at the invitation ofPresident Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse.
An official welcome ceremony for theSierra Leone leader will be held at the Presidential Palace on March 15.
Following that, the two Presidentsare scheduled to hold talks and witness the signing of agreements between theircountries.
President Julius Maada Bio will havemeetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly ChairmanVuong Dinh Hue.
He is set to pay tribute to latePresident Ho Chi Minh, lay wreaths at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs, visitthe Temple of Literature and the FPT University, and attend a business forum inHanoi. He will also take part in some other activities in Can Tho city and HoChi Minh City.
The official trip to Vietnam by the Presidentof Sierra Leone is the first visit by a head of state between the twocountries. It is also a stride in bilateral relations in the context that Africancountries, including Sierra Leone, attach importance to the establishment anddevelopment of their cooperative ties with Asia-Pacific nations, includingVietnam./.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received the ambassadors of Sierra Leone, Nepal, Guatemala, the Maldives, and the Dominican Republic, who came to present their credentials, in Hanoi on March 9.
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio's official visit to Vietnam from March 14-20 is expected to be a new step forwards in the development of ties between Vietnam and the West African country.
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.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and his Sierra Leone counterpart Julius Maada Bio meet on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly's 76th session in New York on September 23, 2021. (Photo: VNA) 
