The awarding of the Friendship Medal to Nguyen Thanh Nghi today was described as recognition of his invaluable contribution to strengthening the historic ties of friendship, brotherhood, and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.
Cuban Ambassador Rogelio Polanco emphasized the decisive efforts and initiatives undertaken by Nghi, as Minister of Construction and Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, to consolidate, expand, and diversify the links between the two countries.
During this period, he said, Thanh Nghi played a fundamental role in organizing and holding the sessions of the Commission and contributed to implementing the Bilateral Economic Agenda, which consolidated Vietnam’s position as the leading Asian investor in Cuba.
He also emphasized that during this time, cooperation expanded across various sectors and the participation of Vietnamese companies in Cuba’s Economic and Social Development Program was strengthened.
Polanco also noted the personal impact of the current head of the Policy and Strategy Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) on important Cuban delegations visiting Vietnam, as well as his participation in high-level missions of Vietnamese leaders to Cuba.
Among these, he pointed out, the historic state visit of CPV General Secretary and then-President To Lam in September 2014 stands out, during which Thanh Nghi’s work was crucial in promoting the implementation of the agreements and consensus reached by the top leaders.
“This visit marked a new stage toward more effective, substantive, sustainable, and comprehensive collaboration, which has seen significant progress this year in projects related to food production, biotechnology, and renewable energy sources, among others,” he emphasized.
By bestowing this high decoration upon him, awarded by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, we also recognize the commendable work carried out for more than 20 years by the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction at the head of the Intergovernmental Commission, the ambassador stated.
In accepting the high honor, Thanh Nghi recalled that during the years he was directly responsible for promoting Vietnam-Cuba cooperation, he had numerous opportunities to visit the island and work and exchange ideas with Cuban colleagues in a wide variety of circumstances.
“Every trip, every meeting, every cooperation project—whether successful or still fraught with difficulties—left a deep impression on me of the indomitable, optimistic, supportive, and always loyal spirit of the Cuban people,” he stated.
He also noted that cooperation between the two countries has faced numerous objective challenges. But it was precisely in those circumstances, he said, that he was able to appreciate more clearly the spirit of solidarity, camaraderie, and mutual support, true to the tradition that our two peoples have maintained for decades.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
