PM arrives in South Africa, attending G20 Summit

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived at O.R. Tambo Airport in Johannesburg on November 21 morning, starting their participation in the G20 Summit and a series of bilateral activities in South Africa.

The activities, taking place from November 21 24, are held at the invitation of President of South Africa and President of G20 in 2025 Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.

This is the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to South Africa in 21 years.

At the airport, PM Pham Minh Chinh and his entourage were welcomed by representatives of the South African Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and liaison officials, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Sy Cuong, staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, and members of the Vietnamese community in the African nation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse are welcomed by representatives of the Vietnamese community in South Africa (Photo: VNA)

The G20 Summit is being held in Johannesburg - one of the biggest cities in South Africa and the world under the theme “Unity, Equality and Sustainable Development”. It focuses on four key priorities: enhancing disaster resilience and response; promoting sustainable debt management for low-income countries; mobilising finance for a just energy transition; and utilising critical minerals for inclusive and sustainable growth.

Leaders of G20 member countries, along with invited guests such as Egypt, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, Malaysia, Norway, New Zealand, Nigeria, Finland, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Vietnam and the UAE, as well as representatives from 23 international and regional organisations, are expected to attend.

Vietnam has participated the summit for six times. This year, it will present key policy messages that contribute to global efforts to boost economic growth, reduce risks and strengthen cooperation in strategic sectors such as minerals, energy, trade system reform, finance, and global investment in the context of reshaping and building current global rules and regulations.

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Chinh will hold a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of countries and international organisations to advance cooperation in strategic areas for Vietnam, including green transition, digital transformation, innovation, strategic infrastructure development and high-quality human resources. These engagements aim to mobilise international resources in support of Vietnam’s development goals.

The Vietnamese leader will also engage in bilateral activities with South Africa to strengthen the Vietnam South Africa partnership, implement high-level agreements and work toward elevating the relationship to a Strategic Partnership, thus injecting strong momentum into bilateral ties, stepping up cooperation for the benefit of the two countries' people and contributing to peace and development in the region and the world./.