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A year-end meeting in celebration of the 65th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's historic visit to Baku – the capital of Azerbaijan (1959-2024) and the 41st anniversary of Azerbaijani leader Heydar Aliyev's arrival in Vietnam as head of the Soviet delegation, was held by the Vietnam - Azerbaijan Friendship Association (VAFA) and Embassy of Azerbaijan to Vietnam on December 19 in Hanoi.

Speaking at the event, VAFA Chairman Dang The Vinh recalled Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Baku 65 years ago, when the late Vietnamese leader said that he hoped Azerbaijan will help Vietnam develop oil and gas industry. At that time, Azerbaijan was a major oil center of the Soviet Union, making important contributions to the industrialization of the Soviet Union as well as the Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany.

At the year-end meeting. Source: Vietnam - Azerbaijan Friendship Association

President Ho Chi Minh recognized Vietnam's great potential in the oil and gas sector, and his prediction became a reality when Vietnam successfully discovered and exploited oil and gas fields, Vinh said. This achievement has made a significant contribution to the country's economic development, transforming Vietnam from a war-torn nation into one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia.

He also highlighted the developing relations between Vietnam and Azerbaijan in recent years, saying that Azerbaijan universities have helped Vietnam train thousands of engineers, naval officers, and scientists.

The Vietnam - Azerbaijan relationship has been strengthened in all channels of Party, State, parliament, and people-to-people friendship, in which the Vietnam - Azerbaijan Friendship Association serves as a bridge between the two peoples. In addition, bilateral ties have made further progress since the Republic of Azerbaijan established its embassy in Hanoi in 2013.

After the interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Vinh continued, people-to-people exchange activities between have become increasingly vibrant, demonstrating the vitality of the close friendship between Vietnam and Azerbaijan. In particular, the Vietnam - Azerbaijan Friendship Association sent a delegation of five members to Azerbaijan from May 5 to May 10, 2024, led by Pham Hong Quang, its vice chairman and general secretary.

During the visit, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the ministries, departments, branches and educational institutions of Azerbaijan warmly and thoughtfully received the delegation. The meetings and discussions took place in an open, friendly, and constructive atmosphere, with a shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in fields such as science, technology, education and training, the oil and gas industry, and tourism.

Chairman of the VAFA Dang The Vinh presents gift to Ambassador of Azerbaijani Embassy in Vietnam Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade. Source: Vietnam - Azerbaijan Friendship Association

Ambassador of Azerbaijani Embassy in Vietnam Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade praised the long-standing traditional friendship between the two countries, which was established thanks to the efforts of two leaders from the two countries, President Ho Chi Minh and President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. In fact, the Vietnam - Azerbaijan relationship was founded when Azerbaijan was a member state of the former Soviet Union.

With the efforts of both countries, the Vietnam - Azerbaijan relations has developed well in recent years through cooperation activities in politics, economics, education, people-to-people diplomacy and achieved remarkable achievements, expressing his belief that the traditional relations between the two countries will be strengthened and deepened in the future.

VAFA Chairman Dang The Vinh, Ambassador of Azerbaijani Embassy in Vietnam Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade and head of Europe Department under the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Thi Thu Giang pose for a photo besides the late President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev's portrait. Source: Vietnam - Azerbaijan Friendship Association

Ambassador Shovgi Mehdizade also thanked the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations for drawing and displaying a portrait of the late President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in the 8th floor of the Friendship House to recognize his outstanding contributions to the friendship between the people of Vietnam and Azerbaijan.

The diplomat took the occassion to congratulate am on the grand and successful opening ceremony of the International Defense Exhibition 2024. He emphasized that this event not only demonstrated Vietnam's military potential, but also its diplomatic position.

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