General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev witnessed the signing of important cooperation documents between Vietnam and Azerbaijan and later addressed the media following their talks in Baku on May 7 (local time), according to a report from the Vietnam News Agency.

The documents reflected a broad and deepening partnership across multiple sectors. The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the energy sector. The two Ministries of Defense exchanged a letter of intent outlining commitments to enhance bilateral defense cooperation. The Ministries of Justice agreed on a cooperation program for the 2025–2027 period.

The Vietnam National Industry-Energy Group (Petrovietnam) and the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan exchanged an MoU focusing on collaboration in oil and gas exploration and exploitation, technical services, and training.

Additionally, Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC of Vietnam and the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan exchanged an MoU on the long-term supply of crude oil to Dung Quat Refinery which is operated by Binh Son.

Another MoU was reached between the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Digital Development and Transport to enhance collaboration in their respective sectors. The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also signed an MoU with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture.

Speaking to the media following the signing ceremony, President Aliyev emphasized that his talks with the Vietnamese leader had addressed a number of critical issues, and that the signed documents represented a meaningful step forward in bilateral ties. He underscored that General Secretary Lam’s visit and his presence at the signing ceremony reflected the importance both sides attached to strengthening cooperation, particularly in promising fields such as education and logistics.

President Aliyev noted that the two countries had agreed to expand collaboration beyond trade, with a strong mutual interest in promoting investment. The two sides also reached consensus on the early convening of the Vietnam–Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Committee to accelerate the implementation of joint initiatives.

He also expressed hope for a more balanced trade structure between the two countries and underlined the need for greater exchange of information regarding specific projects to encourage stronger business engagement. He noted that while the geographical distance posed a challenge, closer cooperation in key sectors such as renewable energy and defense will yield significant mutual benefits.

Azerbaijan also looked forward to deepening collaboration with Vietnam at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, he stated.

President Aliyev highlighted the significance of the visit, the first by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. He said the visit reflected Vietnam’s high regard for its friendship with Azerbaijan and a strong determination to elevate bilateral ties across all fields in accordance with the countries’ longstanding relations and shared potential.

In his remarks, General Secretary Lam expressed his deep appreciation for the warm welcome extended by President Aliyev, other Azerbaijani leaders and the Azerbaijani people to the high-level Vietnamese delegation. He stated that the two sides had held very productive talks and had reached broad consensus on many strategic directions to advance bilateral relations in the future.

He recalled that the foundation of the Vietnam–Azerbaijan friendship was laid by President Ho Chi Minh’s historic visit to Azerbaijan in 1959, and has since been nurtured through continued exchanges between senior leaders and the efforts of both peoples. As a result, the relationship has seen substantive progress across various areas, including politics, diplomacy, energy, national defense and security, trade and investment, and education and training, he noted.

To further consolidate these achievements and realize the untapped potential of the partnership, the two leaders agreed to adopt a Joint Statement establishing a strategic partnership. This new framework marks a significant turning point and is expected to provide a solid foundation for strengthening and deepening Vietnam–Azerbaijan relations, enabling both countries to leverage their strengths for rapid and sustainable development in the new context.