Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Finance Mai Cong Quyen and Deputy Embassy of Cuba in Vietnam Joy Puentes Saldies, and delegates performed the symbolic rice-giving ceremony. Photo: Van Truong

The General Department of State Reserves coordinated with the Hanoi People's Committee and the Cuban Embassy in Vietnam held a symbolic ceremony of giving 2,000 tons of rice as gifts from the Party Committee, government and people of the capital to the Party, government and people of Havana.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pham Viet Ha, director of the Reserves Management Department, under General Department of Foreign Affairs, said that, to perform the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of State Revenue assigned the regional Department of Foreign Affairs has exported 2,000 tons of rice transported from the port of Hai Phong Port to Mariel Port, to deliver to Cuban rice receiving unit - Alimport Food Trading Company.

The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Northeast region has completed the procedures to transport 2,000 tons of rice from the reserve warehouse to Hai Phong port and from Hai Phong port to Mariel port. Rice is packed in 50 kg bags, transported in containers on two trips, each carrying 40 batchs (equivalent to 1,000 tons).

The first ship left Hai Phong port on June 27 and is expected to arrive at Mariel port on September 4. The second ship will leave on July 4 and is expected to arrive at Cuba on September 8.

Speaking at the ceremony, on behalf of leaders of the Hanoi People's Committee, Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Finance Mai Cong Quyen said that at the beginning of June, within the framework of the visit to Vietnam of member of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and First Secretary of the Havana Party Committee Luis Antonio Torres Iríbar, representative of the Hanoi People's Committee, General Department of State Affairs, Cuban Embassy signed a Memorandum of Understanding on delivery and receipt of 2,000 tons of rice.

Just over half a month after the Memorandum of Understanding on rice delivery and receipt was signed, the General Department of State Revenue held a symbolic ceremony to present the rice.

At the symbolic ceremony to present 2,000 tons of rice with the participation of the Cuban Embassy and the General Department of State, representatives of leaders of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Northeast region, and Departments of Finance and Foreign Affairs of Hanoi.

Deputy Ambassador Joy Puentes Saldies pledged to work closely with Cuban authorities to soon receive rice aid and distribute it to the people of Havana as soon as the ship arrives at Mariel port.

After the ceremony, the General Department of Foreign Affairs and the Cuban Embassy directly went to Nam Dinh Vu port to check the quality of rice and witness batches of rice gathered at the port, preparing to be shipped to Cuba's Port as planned.

In recent years, Vietnamese and Cuban ministries and sectors have joined hands together to overcome difficulties brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, while reinforcing and developing cooperation in all fields.

Vietnam presented Cuba with 10,000 tonnes of rice, while Hanoi also prepared Havana 2,000 tonnes of rice, hoping that the two sides will continue to strengthen cooperation to ensure food security for Cuba.

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