Vietnam’s New Ambassador to South Africa Presents Credentials to Ramaphosa
On November 13, 2026, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyễn Trọng Kiên presented his credentials to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria. The two sides expressed support for advancing the Vietnam–South Africa strategic partnership. Ramaphosa also called for stronger economic cooperation and addressed international conflicts and reform of multilateral institutions.
On the morning of November 13, 2026, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Nguyễn Trọng Kiên presented credentials issued by Vietnamese President Tô Lâm to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria. He also conveyed greetings from Tô Lâm and other Vietnamese leaders to the president and people of South Africa.
Nguyễn Trọng Kiên said he would work closely with the South African government and other sectors during his tenure to strengthen mutual trust and understanding and deliver concrete results under the Vietnam–South Africa strategic partnership. He said he believed the two countries’ traditional friendship and strategic cooperation would continue to deepen.
Ramaphosa welcomed the new Vietnamese ambassador. Addressing ambassadors from 15 countries who presented their credentials that day, he said the South African government would facilitate their work. He called on the ambassadors to cooperate with relevant South African agencies, prioritizing projects that support economic growth, industrial development, employment and technology transfer.
Discussing international affairs, Ramaphosa expressed concern about rising tensions in the conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. He called for the consistent application of international law and the UN Charter. He also urged reform of the UN Security Council and international financial institutions to strengthen Africa’s representation, and said South Africa would promote industrialization, food security and fairness in the response to climate change.
Source: VietVance
