Baku: A significant document exchange ceremony between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam took place on May 7, attended by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Vietnam’s General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, To Lam. This event marked a pivotal moment in the diplomatic relations between the two nations.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, a ‘Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership’ was signed by Ilham Aliyev and To Lam, underscoring the strengthening ties between Azerbaijan and Vietnam. The ceremony also saw the exchange of several key memorandums of understanding across various sectors, including energy, defense, justice, economy, digital development, transport, and culture.
In the energy sector, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, and Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Hoang Long, exchanged a memorandum of understanding on cooperation. Additionally, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defense, Zakir Hasanov, and Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense, Phan Van Giang, formalized a similar agreement in the field of defense.
Justice ministers from both countries, Farid Ahmadov of Azerbaijan and Nguyen Hai Ninh of Vietnam, exchanged a cooperation program set to span from 2025 to 2027. Economic collaboration was further cemented with memorandums between Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, and Vietnam’s representatives from Petrovietnam and Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC.
The document exchange also encompassed the digital and technological domains, with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, and Vietnam’s Minister of Science and Technology, Nguyen Manh Hung, signing a memorandum focused on technology, innovation, and development. Cultural ties were strengthened with an agreement between Azerbaijan’s Minister of Culture, Adil Karimli, and Vietnam’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Van Hung.
Additional agreements included cooperation in archival work, a partnership between national news agencies, and the establishment of a joint business council between Azerbaijan’s Small and Medium Business Development Agency and Vietnam’s National Association of Entrepreneurship. These documents highlight the commitment of both nations to expand their collaborative efforts across multiple sectors.