Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong has hailed relations between South Africa and Vietnam, noting that the relationship will only strengthen in the future.
The Deputy Minister delivered an address on Monday in Pretoria, during the 81st anniversary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
“We are confident that in the coming years and decades, relations between South Africa and Vietnam will continue to grow from strength to strength, to the mutual benefit of the peoples of our two countries and the regions we find ourselves in.
“In these turbulent times, when the international arena is marked by uncertainty and rapid change, South Africa and Vietnam stand stronger when they stand together. By joining hands, our two nations can chart a course through shifting global currents with confidence and clarity,” Morolong said.
The Deputy Minister added that country-to-country cooperation allows “our voices to ensure that our perspectives are heard in multilateral forums, and to safeguard our shared interests”.
“It enables us to turn challenges into opportunities: expanding trade, deepening political dialogue, and building resilience against global shocks.
“Together, South Africa and Vietnam can transform uncertainty into a platform for innovation and solidarity, proving that partnership is the surest compass in navigating an unpredictable world,” he said.
Deepening relations
South Africa and Vietnam share long-held diplomatic relations dating back to the dawn of democracy in 1993.
Most recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa embarked on an Official State Visit to the country in 2025.
“We have together established an Inter-Governmental Partnership Forum for Economic, Trade, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Co-operation aimed at facilitating cooperation in areas of mutual interest in 2004.
“In October 2025…we have both agreed to elevate our bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership. This milestone introduced a qualitative transformation in government-to-government engagement.
“This renewed engagement is marked by deeper political dialogue, strengthened economic and sectoral cooperation, and the establishment of more structured mechanisms for coordination purposes,” Morolong said.
He described 2025 as a representation of “culmination of decades of effort between South Africa and Vietnam to deepen and broaden our ties”, which ensured that the two countries’ shifts towards a “genuine partnership that delivers tangible benefits for the peoples of both nations”.
The Deputy Minister noted that at the regional and multilateral level, South Africa’s “engagement with Vietnam is increasingly situated within the broader context of South Africa’s expanding interaction” with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
“The ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner status has created additional platforms for political dialogue and cooperation in Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s active role within ASEAN further enhances its significance as a gateway partner for South Africa’s regional objectives.
“Concurrently, Vietnam has intensified its engagement with BRICS, including through participation in the Partner Country Model, reflecting converging interests in reforming global governance and strengthening South–South cooperation.
“These intersecting dynamics underscore Vietnam’s growing strategic relevance to South Africa across bilateral, regional and plurilateral dimensions, further reinforcing the need for sustained and appropriately resourced diplomatic engagement,” Morolong said. – SAnews.gov.za
