State President Luong Cuong lays wreaths at Ho Chi Minh statue, memorial sites in Luanda

Luanda (VNA) – As part of his state visit to Angola, State President Luong Cuong and his spouse, accompanied by a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, laid wreaths at several important memorial sites in the capital city of Luanda on August 7 morning (local time).

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

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

The President and his entourage then proceeded to place a wreath at the memorial stele on Ho Chi 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 Ho Chi Minh. As a testament to this respect, President Neto named a major avenue in downtown Luanda after President Ho Chi Minh.

Stretching approximately 3.4 kilometres and connecting to October Revolution Street en route to Luanda International Airport, Ho Chi 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 Vietnam that future generations should preserve and uphold.

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