Guinea-Bissau to waive visa for Vietnamese diplomatic and official passport holders

General Secretary and President To Lam on Thursday held summit meeting with Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló who is on four-day official visit to Viet Nam.

To warmly welcomed Embaló to Viet Nam, emphasizing that this is the first visit by a President of Guinea-Bissau to Viet Nam since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973.

The top Vietnamese leader expressed his belief that the exchange of delegations and mutual support along with Embaló's visit would create a new momentum for the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

He thanked Guinea-Bissau for having sent a delegation to Viet Nam to attend the funeral of late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong – the excellent leader of the Vietnamese people, saying the move reflects the friendship and sincerity that the State and people of Guinea-Bissau offer to the late General Secretary.

To spoke highly of Guinea-Bissau's achievements in maintaining political stability, solidarity, reconciliation, and socio-economic development as well as the African country's contributions to Africa's overall progress.

President Embaló expressed his admiration for Viet Nam's revolutionary, national construction and development cause, saying that this great cause and outstanding leaders such as President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap have become a source of inspiration for the national liberation movements in Guinea-Bissau and Africa.

He revealed that a secondary school in Guinea-Bissau was named after President Ho Chi Minh, affirming that Viet Nam is a model for developing countries Africa in general and for Guinea-Bissau in particular.

Embaló reiterated Guinea-Bissau's consistent policy of expanding cooperation with Asian nations, in which Viet Nam is considered a top priority partner.

The two leaders discussed and charted major orientations to further improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation in the time to come.

On political aspect, the two leaders agreed to foster exchanges and contacts at all levels in order to consolidate political trust, inject new momentum for bilateral cooperation.

Both sides agreed to effectively deploy bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the Memorandum of Understanding on establishing political consultation signed between the two foreign ministries on the occasion of Embaló's Viet Nam visit.

On this occasion, the two leaders also witnessed the signing another Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation between the two ministries of agriculture and rural development.

President Embaló announced that Guinea-Bissau will waive visa for holders of Vietnamese diplomatic and official passports.

Comparing notes on regional and international issues of shared concern, the two leaders agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, the Non-aligned Movement, and the Group of 77 (G77).

The pair also agreed to promote their respective cooperation within regional organizations to which they are members, such as ASEAN, AU, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

On the East Sea issue, both sides shared the common vision on the importance of ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, underscoring their support for settlement of disputes through peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea./.