Hanoi, Vietnam - The buzz in Hanoi is unmistakable. Streets draped in vibrant red flags, and gold stars ripple in the autumn breeze, while the hum of motorbikes mingles with the soft chatter of locals anticipating the arrival of a special guest.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to touch down in the Vietnamese capital on Thursday for a State Visit that is as symbolic as it is strategic, one that promises to cement South Africa's engagement with Southeast Asia.
Speaking to SAnews on the ground ahead of the visit, International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, described the trip as a pivotal moment to deepen cooperation between the two countries.
"We have arrived in Hanoi for a State Visit that will be led by President Cyril Ramaphosa to meet the Prime Minister here to deepen cooperation between the two countries that have very good, friendly relations, which we now look to build on the bilateral relations towards economic trade, political cooperation and also skills exchange," the Minister told SAnews.
From the bustling Old Quarter to the imposing marble faade of the Presidential Palace, there's an air of optimism, a sense that this visit extends beyond protocol and pageantry.
"The engagements will be on various phases of exchange between small business, agriculture, and various other issues of trade, which obviously will incorporate issues of electric vehicles, skills exchange, commodities, mining, agriculture, and research and development," Lamola said.
The Minister highlighted that South Africa already has a footprint in Vietnam's education and research space, with a contingent of South Africans in the Maritime University of Vietnam.