Hanoi (VNA) - Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh will pay State visits to the Republic of Angola and the Republic of Mozambique from April 2-6.

The visits, to be made at the invitations of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza,
aim to strengthen traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the two African countries, especially in economics and trade.

Vietnam and the two countries have enjoyed good relations and supported each other in their struggle for national independence as well as economic development.

In its foreign policy towards Asia, Mozambique says it plans to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam , especially in education, health, agriculture, defence, trade and investment.

Since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1975, Vietnam and Mozambique have exchanged visits by high-ranking delegations.

During these exchanges, Mozambique highlighted Vietnam ’s role and position in the region and that it hoped to develop friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with the Southeast Asian country.

The two countries have signed cooperation agreements on investment encouragement and protection, agriculture, education and health.

They have also agreed Vietnam would continue sending agricultural, educational and health experts to Mozambique .

Meanwhile, Vietnam and Angola set up their diplomatic relationship in November 1975. The two countries signed several agreements, including a trade agreement in 1978, a framework agreement on economic, cultural and technical cooperation in 1979 and a special agreement to send Vietnamese experts to Angola in 1984.

Agreements on education, health, agriculture and seafood were inked between 1995 and 2004.

The two countries plan to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector.

Vietnam mainly exports rice, garment, woodwork and plastic products to Angola while the African country’s staples to Vietnam are safety glasses and cattle-food.
Around 300 Vietnamese health and education experts are working in Angola , which is also home to more than 2,000 Vietnamese businesspeople.