Cairo (VNA) - State President Luong Cuong and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation had a working session with Vietnamese Ambassadors to African countries in Cairo on August 3 evening on the occasion of his state visit to Egypt.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' report, Africa is a region that is considered a growth pole of the world in the coming decades with huge room and potential to be further exploited and promoted. Vietnam currently has eight diplomatic representative agencies covering a large area with 55 countries. Vietnam's external activities in Africa have made positive progress in recent years and will continue to be promoted in the coming years. Many heads of state and high-ranking leaders of regional countries have paid official visits and attended major events organised by Vietnam, demonstrating their respect for Vietnam's position, prestige and potential as well as their desire to promote relations with the Southeast Asian nation.

The Ambassadors reported to the President and the delegation on the situation in each working area, as well as the main features of the relations between Vietnam and African countries. They shared difficulties and challenges that the representative agencies are facing in the context of different working environments, customs and practices, and the complicated situation of conflicts and epidemics in some places. Along with that, the Ambassadors also made specific proposals and recommendations to further strengthen and promote relations between Vietnam and regional countries.

The Ambassadors expressed their confidence in the leadership, direction and foreign policies of the Party and State. They also pledged to uphold the sense of responsibility, make every effort together with the representative agencies to consolidate and further promote the relations between Vietnam and African countries, and constantly strive to excellently complete the tasks assigned by the Party, State and people.

Speaking at the meeting, President Cuong conveyed to the Ambassadors the greetings and warm regards from Party and State leaders, and welcomed the Ambassadors, despite being in remote areas, who arranged their time and work to attend this very meaningful meeting.

Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ report and listening to the Ambassadors’ opinions, the President highly appreciated the sense of responsibility, great efforts and high determination of the Ambassadors as well as officials and staff of the embassies in promoting the relations between Vietnam and African countries. He congratulated the positive results that the representative agencies have achieved in the past time.

President Cuong assessed that in recent years, the relations between Vietnam and Middle Eastern and African countries have made clear progress, with high-level delegation exchanges taking place actively; and that there is great room for cooperation and expanding Vietnam's interests in the region.

He said that his ongoing state visit to Africa, along with the recent visits to Senegal and Morocco by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, conveyed a message to African friends about Vietnam's determination to promote traditional friendship, create breakthroughs, and enter a new era with African countries, in line with the development needs and new mindset of both sides.

In that context, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, the President requested the Ambassadors to continuously update and closely follow the Party's foreign policies and guidelines, strongly and comprehensively implement major documents with orientations in the field of foreign affairs, especially the Politburo’s Resolution 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new situation. At the same time, the Ambassadors need to promote research, strategic forecasting, proactively and promptly report and advise so that Vietnam do not fall into a passive and surprised situation in the face of complicated and unpredictable developments in the current regional and international situation.

Emphasising that Vietnam and African friends have a valuable asset of mutual support and assistance in the past struggle for national liberation, the President requested the Ambassadors to continue fostering and consolidating political trust between Vietnam and African countries, considering this a solid foundation for expanding cooperation in other fields, demonstrating sincerity to enter a new stage of development together.

He asked the embassies to pay close attention to and be more proactive in community work and citizen protection, make every effort to help overseas Vietnamese, enhance the position of the Vietnamese communities in their host countries and closely coordinate with local authorities in citizen protection work and supporting Vietnamese businesses.

The Ambassadors and the staff of the representative agencies must continue to unite, build a clean and strong internal force, uphold the spirit of overcoming difficulties, promote the sense of responsibility, take the initiative and successfully complete their assigned political tasks, the President stressed./.