The Vietnam-Cuba relationship is a rare one in the world history, which is manifested by Cuban leader Fidel Castrol’s saying “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood”.
| On behalf of the Party, State and people of Cuba, President Miguel Diaz Canel presents the Vietnamese State leader with José Marti Order, the noblest reward of the Cuban State. |
The Cuba visit by President Phuc aimed to continue and deepen this special traditional friendship. According to Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, this was the first visit by a foreign head of state to Cuba following the eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba. This also affirmed the commitment to together marching forward after the Party Congress in each country, creating new motivation and new vitality for the bilateral comprehensive partnership.
 Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez at the welcoming ceremony for the Vietnamese President. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Miguel Diaz Canel presents the Vietnamese State leader with José Marti Order, the noblest reward of the Cuban State. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a meeting with General Raul Castro Ruz as part of his official visit to Cuba. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
The greatest success and highlight of the visit is the cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine. Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that during the visit, the health care sectors of the two sides signed a contract on Cuba’s supply of 5 million doses of Abdala COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam, and Vietnam’s purchase of 5 million additional doses for children.
President Phuc also announced Vietnam’s provision of 5,000 tonnes of rice to Cuba. A number of ministries and sectors also offered practical gifts to their Cuban counterparts. Such support is evidence of the special friendship and rare loyal relationship between the two Parties, States and peoples.
On behalf of the Party and State of Cuba, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez presented President Phuc with the José Martí Order in recognition of the Vietnamese leader’s contributions to the strengthening of the historical friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Cuba and Vietnam.
Besides high-level meetings, President Phuc also held meetings with Cuban friendship organisations, during which he affirmed that the Party and people of Vietnam always stand shoulder to shoulder with the Cuban Party and people. “We understand and strive to be worthy of the trust of the fraternal Cuban people.”
Concluding the Cuba visit, the Vietnamese leader arrived in the UN headquarters in New York on September 20, the date when 44 years ago, Vietnam officially became a UN member.
 The opening ceremony of the high-level debate of the UN General Assembly’s 76th session in New York. Photo: Xinhua/ VNA  Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc adtends and addresses the high-level debate of the UN General Assembly’s 76th session. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President at the high-level debate of the UN General Assembly’s 76th session. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers a statement at the high-level open debate of the UN Security Council on Climate Security in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
| During his three days in New York, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had meetings with over 30 heads of states, governments and major international organisations from around the world, including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), as well as hosted around 20 meetings and exchanges with representatives from nearly 50 of the world’s leading corporations and enterprises. |
“For the pandemic to be repelled, it is essential that we stand in solidarity, uphold a high sense of responsibility, and step up cooperation. Particularly, priority allocation of vaccines should be given to nations with a low vaccination rate. And developing countries should be enabled to engage in vaccine production and supply chains,” he stated.
 The Vietnamese President has a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  He meets with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark in New York. Photo: VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a meeting with Slovenian President Borut Pahor in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President has a meeting with World Bank Group (WB) President David Malpass in New York. Photo: VNA  He meets with US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  On the sidelines of the high-level debate of the UN General Assembly’s 76th session, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc recieves Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a meeting with President of Switzerland Guy Parmelin. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a meeting with his counterpart from Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President meets with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  On the occasion, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation lay flowers at the National September 11 Memorial in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA |
Stressing the central role of the UN, President Phuc underscored the need for countries to work together to build trust among countries on the basis of equality and cooperation. “We must also respect the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, and resolve disputes by peaceful means,” he said.
He once again reaffirmed Vietnam’s solidarity with the people of Cuba, and reiterate our strong call for a complete end to the unilateral embargoes against Cuba.
During his trip to the Americas this time, Vietnam has been able to garner the support of the world for its COVID-19 prevention and control as well as socio-economic development at home.
Along with 1.05 million doses of Abdala COVID-19 vaccine that was transported to Vietnam aboard the President's flight, other countries and partners also committed to providing 1.5 million doses of vaccines to Vietnam. The US committed to donating a large volume of vaccines to Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism in the upcoming allocation period. Particularly, during the President's meeting with leaders of Pfizer, the US vaccine manufacturer committed to deliver 31 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam following a contracts signed with Vietnam right in 2021 and 20 million doses of vaccine for children when there is sufficient data on its effectiveness and safety. Together with vaccines, many partners and expatriates in the US also donated medical supplies worth 8.8 million US dollars to Vietnam.
It can be said that President Phuc's official friendship visit to Cuba and participation in the high-level debate of the UN General Assembly’s 76th session was a comprehensive success. The success was thanked to the close coordination between the Party, State and people diplomacy, in implementing the foreign orientation defined at the 13th National Party Congress, showing that Vietnam is a friend and reliable partner of the international community./.
 The Vietnamese President witnesses the signing of an agreement between Bamboo Airway and GE Aviation. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  He witnesses the handover ceremony of comercial agreements between firms of Vietnam and the US in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnesses the handover ceremony of medial equipment presented by Northwestern Medicine. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a reception for the representatives from the Boeing Company in New York. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President witnesses the handover ceremony of cooperation agreement between Vingroup and Arcturus. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  The Vietnamese President visits Pfizer Corporation. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends a ceremony to hand over and to receive vaccines and medical equipment and materials for the fight against the COVID-19 transported to Vietnam on his special plane at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: Nguyen Diep/VNA |
By VNA/VNP
