South African President Cyril Ramaphosa begins state visit to Vietnam today
VOV.VN - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is paying a state visit to Vietnam from October 23 to 24 at the invitation of President Luong Cuong, his first visit to the country by a South African head of state in nearly 20 years.

Vietnam and South Africa established diplomatic relations on December 22, 1993. Before that, Vietnam had ties with the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party, consistently supporting the South African people’s struggle against the Apartheid regime and their democratic reform process.
South Africa is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner and export market in Africa, with bilateral trade turnover reaching nearly US$1.8 billion in 2024. In the time ahead, the two sides are expected to step up cooperation in such fields as mineral exploitation, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, steel production, renewable energy, textiles, footwear, fertilizers, processed food, and supporting industries.
As of July 2025, South Africa had 20 valid investment projects in Vietnam with a total investment capital of US$0.88 million, ranking 109th among 151 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Meanwhile, Vietnam had four investment projects in South Africa with total capital of US$8.86 million, ranking 45th among 84 countries and territories where Vietnam has outbound investment.
The Vietnamese community in South Africa numbers around 200 people, most of whom are married to South Africans and have settled in the country. Some engage in small-scale trade, while a few work as lecturers at South African universities. The community enjoys a relatively stable life, mainly residing in major cities such as the capital Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and the port city of Durban.
Vietnam and South Africa regularly coordinate and support each other at international organizations and multilateral forums. Recently, South Africa supported Vietnam’s candidacies for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, and membership of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term.
The two sides maintain several cooperation mechanisms, including the Inter-Governmental Partnership Forum, the Joint Trade Committee, and the Defence Policy Dialogue. Many South African ministers have visited Vietnam to exchange knowledge and apply lessons learned to their domestic context.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state visit to Vietnam is expected to help elevate bilateral relations, promote trade, and expand cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, defence, technology, and others.
During the visit, President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to hold talks with President Luong Cuong and meet with other senior Vietnamese leaders. He will also attend a signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes, also known as the Hanoi Convention.