Top legislator praises ambassador’s dedication to Vietnam - Cuba ties

Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man received outgoing Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen in Hanoi on November 13, lauding the diplomat’s considerable contributions to political, socio-economic, and cultural ties between the two countries.

Congratulating the ambassador on fulfilling his term, Man stressed that Vietnam always keeps in mind the wholehearted spiritual and material assistance from Cuba for its struggle for national liberation in the past as well as the cause of national construction and safeguarding at present. This is a special relationship with high political trust and always an epitome of international relations, he remarked.

Through the ambassador, the NA Chairman offered condolences and sympathies to Party and State leaders and the people of Cuba on the severe impacts of Hurricane Oscar on October 20, Hurricane Rafael on November 7, and the earthquake in eastern Cuba on November 10.

Meanwhile, he said, Typhoon Yagi also took a heavy toll on northern Vietnam.
Despite difficulties caused by natural disasters and the volatile global situation, the bilateral relations have been relentlessly promoted and strengthened via delegation exchanges at all levels, especially the state visit to Cuba by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in September 2024, the working trip to the Caribbean nation by NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai in the same month, and the working visit to Vietnam by President of the National Assembly of People’s Power and President of the Council of State of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez in early November, Man said.

Appreciating Vietnam’s support for Cuba and himself, Hernandez Guillen said braving economic challenges and impacts of the embargo against Cuba, the two countries’ relations have been growing unceasingly and obtained many encouraging results.

The Party-to-Party ties have been reinforced, with the state visit to Cuba by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam being an important milestone of the two countries’ relations. Cooperation between the governments, ministries, and sectors of Cuba and Vietnam has also been advanced. Besides, collaboration between the Vietnamese and Cuban NAs has also sustained the upward trend as seen in frequent high-level mutual visits, he continued.

He emphasised that in the time ahead, the two legislative bodies have a crucial role to play in creating a legal framework for promoting the bilateral relations, including socio-economic partnerships between Vietnamese and Cuban localities.

Echoing the ambassador’s opinions, Man said the two countries have signed many agreements, but it is important to assess the enforcement of those deals and devise measures for boosting effective implementation in the time ahead.

He attributed the sound cooperation results between the two countries and the two parliaments partly to significant contributions by the ambassador and the staff of the Cuban Embassy in Vietnam.

The top legislator expressed his belief that in whatever future positions, Hernandez Guillen will continue helping to enhance the special, exemplary, and faithful friendship and solidarity between the two countries.