In a significant move to deepen South-South cooperation, South Africa and Vietnam have formally agreed to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The agreement was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his two-day state visit to Hanoi, which concluded on Wednesday.
The new partnership marks a decisive step in strengthening political and economic ties between the two nations, with a focus on enhanced collaboration across a wide range of sectors. President Ramaphosa, who received a warm welcome at the presidential palace, underscored the shared vision of cooperation between Africa and Southeast Asia.
“Today we take a decisive step towards the commencement of a process to elevate our bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership,” Ramaphosa stated during the visit. “This reflects our shared commitment to deepening cooperation across a range of sectors.”
The President outlined that these sectors include defense, agriculture, justice and constitutional development, mineral and petroleum resources, biodiversity conservation, trade and investment, and security.
“South Africa sees Vietnam as a key partner in our export diversification strategy and we are encouraged by the steady growth in trade and investment in our two countries,” he added, noting the positive impact for businesses from large corporates to small and medium enterprises.
The timing of the elevated ties coincides with key national milestones; Vietnam is celebrating 80 years of independence, while South Africa currently holds the chairmanship of the G20. President Ramaphosa confirmed that Vietnam’s Prime Minister will attend the upcoming G20 leader summit in Johannesburg.
“We look forward to receiving your prime minister to South Africa at the leader summit,” he said. “Together we reaffirm our shared commitment to peace, to prosperity, and to inclusive multilateralism.”
During his visit, President Ramaphosa also paid homage to Vietnam’s late leader Ho Chi Minh, describing his legacy as a “beacon of resilience and unity.” In his closing remarks, the president applauded Vietnam’s role in shaping responsible digital governance, specifically noting its signing of the UN Convention on Cyber Crime, an agreement South Africa has also joined.
The state visit to Vietnam is part of a broader effort by South Africa to strengthen its engagement with Southeast Asia. Following his engagements in Hanoi, President Ramaphosa has departed for Malaysia to participate in the ASEAN Summit as a guest of the chair.
This ongoing diplomatic push underscores South Africa’s commitment to fostering interregional cooperation. “We’re building on the legacy of the 1955 Bandung Conference which laid the foundation for solidarity between our two continents,” a spokesperson for the delegation stated.
The nation’s recent recognition as a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN further solidifies its role as a bridge between Africa and Asia, as it continues to champion inclusive global growth on the world stage.