Welcoming the delegation at Noi Bai International Airport were Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico and Panama Nguyen Van Hai.

Accompanying President José Raúl Mulino and his spouse on the official visit to Vietnam are Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Eduardo Martinez-Acha Vasquez, Minister of Agricultural Development Roberto Linares, Minister for Canal Affairs Jose Ramon Icaza, and Panamanian Ambassador to Vietnam Nubiela Ayala Modes.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Ambassador Hai emphasised that the visit is particularly significant as the first high-level exchange between the two countries in nearly 15 years, following then-President Ricardo Martinelli’s visit to Vietnam in 2012, and came shortly after the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025.

The two countries have maintained close friendship and cooperation despite geographical distance, while strengthening coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums. Recent high-level diplomatic contacts, including the meeting between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the Philippines in July and the second political consultation in Vietnam later that month, demonstrated the importance attached to the visit.

Ambassador Nubiela Ayala Modes said the visit demonstrates Panama’s growing importance attached to Vietnam as a key partner in Southeast Asia and opening opportunities to strengthen cooperation in trade, maritime affairs, logistics, investment and people-to-people exchanges.

More importantly, the visit conveys a strong message of friendship and shared commitment to building an increasingly close and dynamic bilateral relationship in the years ahead, he noted./.