President Umaro Sissoco Embaló 's visit takes place as the two countries prepare to celebrate the 51st anniversary of diplomatic relations (September 30, 1973 - September 30, 2024). This is the first visit to Vietnam by a Guinea-Bissau President since the two countries established diplomatic relations.
Vietnam and Guinea-Bissau have a traditional friendship. Guinea-Bissau was one of two African countries that sent a delegation to pay their respects to the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during the visit to Vietnam by Guinea-Bissau's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Nancy Raisa Cardoso last July.
At the reception for Secretary of State Nancy Raisa Cardoso on July 26, 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs (now Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs) Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to traditional friendship and wishes to develop multifaceted cooperation with friendly countries in Africa, including Guinea-Bissau.
During meetings and talks with Vietnamese diplomatic officials, Secretary of State Nancy Raisa affirmed that the Government of Guinea-Bissau considers Vietnam a priority partner in foreign policy and is ready to expand practical and effective cooperation in all areas in the coming time. The two sides agreed to increase contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially promoting visits by high-ranking leaders of the two countries; coordinate and support each other in international forums, act as a bridge to support each other in strengthening cooperation with regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), the Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and increase sharing of experiences in socio-economic development and policy making.
Vietnam is ready to support Guinea-Bissau in agricultural development through bilateral or tripartite agricultural cooperation projects, gradually helping the country ensure and become self-sufficient in food security.
In the economic field, trade exchange is a hallmark of bilateral cooperation. Currently, Vietnam is Guinea-Bissau’s third largest export market. Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau has been one of Vietnam’s five largest suppliers of raw cashew nuts in Africa for many years.
Total trade turnover between the two countries reached nearly 170 million USD in 2023. To date, the two countries have signed a number of cooperation documents, such as: Agreement on cultural, economic, scientific, technical and commercial cooperation (1994); Memorandum of Understanding on trade and industrial cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Enhancing the value of local products of Guinea-Bissau.
To create a breakthrough in economic and trade cooperation, the two sides agreed to promote information exchange, cooperation opportunities, and business connections between the two countries; continue to promote key trade items such as cashew nuts and expand to other potential items such as agricultural products, textiles, etc.; sign bilateral cooperation documents on agriculture, seaports, and trade.
The invitation of General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife to Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his wife to pay an official visit to Vietnam affirmed that Vietnam continues to implement the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress and the Project on developing relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries for the 2016-2025 period, which affirms the consistent policy of the Party and State of Vietnam to always attach importance to the traditional friendship with friendly countries in Africa, including Guinea-Bissau.
