This morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran hosted Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and his spouse Zinash Tayachew for breakfast and a cultural tour of Hanoi, including a scenic walk around West Lake and a visit to the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda.

The two leaders and their spouses enjoyed breakfast and coffee at a café on Thanh Nien Street - one of the most picturesque roads in Hanoi, bordered by West Lake on one side and Truc Bach Lake on the other.

In the pleasant spring weather, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife introduced their guests to iconic Vietnamese dishes such as chicken pho and sticky rice, offering them a taste of the nation’s culinary heritage.

After breakfast, the two Prime Ministers and their spouses took a leisurely walk along West Lake and Truc Bach Lake, soaking in the morning ambiance of the capital, before visiting Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Situated on a small island in West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda is nearly 1,500 years old and considered the oldest Buddhist temple in Thang Long - Hanoi. Once the spiritual center during the Ly and Tran dynasties, the pagoda combines solemn ancient architecture with tranquil natural surroundings.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and First Lady Zinash Tayachew expressed their delight at visiting Vietnam for the first time. They praised the country’s impressive development and shared how much they appreciated the vibrant, elegant atmosphere of the thousand-year-old capital - a city of peace and heroism.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister extended sincere thanks for the warm and thoughtful welcome extended by Vietnam’s leaders and expressed his hope to soon welcome Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife to Ethiopia to strengthen bilateral ties and continue advancing cooperation between the two nations.

This marks Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s first official visit to Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations. During the visit, he held meetings with senior leaders of the Communist Party, State, Government, and National Assembly of Vietnam, and participated in the P4G Summit.

Tran Thuong - Pham Hai