State President Lương Cường and the Vietnamese delegation visit the statue of late President Hồ Chí Minh in Luanda on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photos Lâm Khánh

LUANDA — As part of his state visit to Angola, State President Lương Cường and his spouse, accompanied by a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, laid wreaths at several important memorial sites in the capital city of Luanda on Thursday morning (local time).

President Cường and the delegation laid a wreath in commemoration of President Hồ Chí Minh at the late leader's statue in the Vietnamese Embassy in Angola. They also laid wreaths at the memorial stele on Hồ Chí Minh Avenue and the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Luanda.

At the Vietnamese Embassy, President Cường and his spouse respectfully offered fresh flowers at the statue of President Hồ Chí Minh, commemorating his immense contributions to Việt Nam's revolutionary cause. The bust, a gift presented by then Minister of Public Security Tô Lâm, was inaugurated in July 2023. It has since become a meaningful site of remembrance for overseas Vietnamese in Angola and visiting delegations from Việt Nam.

The President and his entourage then proceeded to place a wreath at the memorial stele on Hồ Chí Minh Avenue in Luanda. Accompanying the Vietnamese leader to the ceremony was Angolan Minister of External Relations Téte António.

Antonio Agostinho Neto, the first President of independent Angola, reserved a deep admiration for the Vietnamese people and their great leader, President Hồ Chí Minh.

As a testament to this respect, President Neto named a major avenue in downtown Luanda after President Hồ Chí Minh.

Stretching approximately 3.4km and connecting to October Revolution Street en route to Luanda International Airport, Hồ Chí Minh Avenue is home to the headquarters of key institutions, including the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), several government ministries, and the national broadcaster. The avenue leads to a vantage point overlooking Luanda Bay, one of the most scenic coastal areas in Africa.

Today, the avenue stands as a lasting symbol of the close friendship and mutual support between the people of Angola and Việt Nam that future generations should preserve and uphold.

President Cường and the Vietnamese delegation also laid a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.

State President Cường and the Vietnamese delegation at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Luanda on Thursday.

Attending the ceremony were Angolan Minister of National Defence João Ernesto dos Santos, Luanda Governor Luis Manuel da Fonseca, and several senior officials from the Ministry of National Defence and the city. — VNA/VNS