Burundian Ambassador to Vietnam Telesphone Irambonao presents his credential to State President Luong Cuong. (Photo: VNA)  

Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye and his spouse’s official visit to Vietnam from April 3 – 6 at the invitation of State President Luong Cuong and his spouse symbolises the two countries’ desire to bolster cooperation across the domains of politics, economy, trade, culture, and society, among others, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Tanzania and Burundi Vu Thanh Huyen.

Half a century of friendship

Vietnam and Burundi share notable historical and cultural similarities, with both having experienced struggles against colonialism. Burundian leaders have seen Vietnam as an exemplary model in the national liberation process as well as subsequent development efforts.

Diplomatic relations between the two nations were established on April 16, 1975, though neither country maintains an embassy in the other's capital. Currently, Vietnam's embassy in Tanzania and Burundi's embassy in China handle diplomatic affairs for both countries.

Over the past 50 years, the two countries have maintained relations through both Party and State channels. High-level exchanges have strengthened these ties, including Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's meeting with President Ndayishimiye on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in September 2023, and Secretary General of the National Council for the Defence of Democracy – Forces for the Defence of Democracy Révérien Ndikuriyo’s working visit to Vietnam in July 2024.

Notably, Vietnam appointed respected Burundian businessman Juvenal Sakubu as its Honorary Consul in Bujumbura, the Republic of Burundi. According to Huyen, the Honorary Consul plays a crucial role in promoting economic cooperation, tourism, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people relations between Vietnam and Burundi within the consular area, while also effectively implementing protection services for Vietnamese citizens in the region. Ambassador Huyen noted that with his capabilities, reputation, and deep connection to Vietnam, Sakubu has contributed significantly to strengthening and developing the relationship between the two countries.

The two countries have coordinated and supported each other at the UN forum and in international organisations. Recently, Burundi backed Vietnam's candidacy for non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term and for the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term.

The two countries signed an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders in June 2022 and a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in information and communications in December 2024.

Currently, there are over 30 Vietnamese nationals residing in Burundi, with 28 being Viettel employees.

Robust economic – trade cooperation

Economic and trade ties between the two countries have shown promising growth, with two-way trade topping 2 million USD in 2024. Vietnam primarily ships machinery, equipment, and computer and components to while importing minerals, ores, and animal feed from the African country.

A standout achievement in bilateral cooperation is the investment project by Vietnam's Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group in Burundi. Since establishing operations in 2013 as a joint venture with 85% ownership, Viettel launched its mobile network under the Lumitel brand across Burundi in June 2015. After a decade of operations, Lumitel has become the leading telecommunications provider in Burundi and one of the largest contributors to the Burundian government's budget, providing stable employment for over 60,000 workers and indirectly creating around 100,000 jobs. Burundian leadership highly values Lumitel's role in advancing Vietnam-Burundi cooperation.

Prospects for future cooperation

Ambassador Huyen noted that President Évariste Ndayishimiye's visit represents a historic milestone in the bilateral relations. She said Burundi's strengths lie in agricultural development, with coffee and tea as its primary export commodities. The Burundian government has been promoting initiatives to modernise, transform, and diversify agricultural production while focusing on developing mining sectors, particularly gold, nickel, and rare earth minerals. Simultaneously, Burundi is implementing new regulations to attract investment in infrastructure development, including energy projects and transportation systems.

With the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2021, Vietnam's trade with African markets is expected to increase significantly. Vietnam, a dynamic economy in Southeast Asia, has seen Africa, particularly East Africa, as a new, potential market rich in resources with numerous cooperation opportunities, she underscored.

The relationship between the two countries will continue developing across multiple sectors, especially economy, trade, and investment on the back of strong political determination from leaders of both countries, abundant resources, and potential for collaboration. This partnership will contribute to realising each country's socio-economic development strategies while promoting peace, stability, prosperity, and development in both regions and continents./.