Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed and held talks with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Marrero Cruz review the honor guard - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz led a high-ranking delegation of the Cuban Government to Hanoi for an official friendly visit to Vietnam from September 28 to October 2, 2022 at the invitation of Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz led a high-ranking delegation of the Cuban Government to Hanoi for an official friendship visit to Vietnam from September 28 to October 2, 2022 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

This is Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz's first visit outside Latin America since taking office in December 2019, and also the first visit by a senior Cuban leader to Vietnam since 2018.

This is the first visit outside Latin America by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz since taking office in December 2019, and also the first visit by a senior Cuban leader to Vietnam since 2018. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The high-ranking delegation of the Government of the Republic of Cuba includes: Prime Minister of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz; Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment of Cuba, Chairman of the Vietnam - Cuba Intergovernmental Commission Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz; Minister of Health of Cuba José Ángel Portal Miranda; Minister of Agriculture of Cuba Ydael Pérez Brito; Director of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation Osvaldo Vento Montiller; Ambassador of Cuba to Vietnam Orlando Nicolás Hernández Guillén; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Josefina Videl Ferreiro.

Government Office officials welcome Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz was born on July 11, 1963, in Holguin province, Cuba. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in architecture and a degree in public administration from the Cuban School of Senior Officials of the State and Government.

He has worked in the tourism industry for many years; from 2001 to 2004 he was Chairman of Gaviota Tourism Group; from 2004 to 2019 he was Minister of Tourism of Cuba.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh introduced to Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz about the Thai Xoe dance - Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

From 2018 to present, he is a National Assembly Delegate of the People's Government.

On December 21, 2019, at the 4th session, the 9th National Assembly of Cuba elected comrade Manuel Marrero Cruz as Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba for a 5-year term, as stipulated in the new Constitution. On April 19, 2021, the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba elected comrade Manuel Marrero Cruz as a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.

The official friendship visit to Vietnam by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz aims to implement the contents of the agreements reached between the two countries' senior leaders, continuing and developing the special Vietnam-Cuba relationship. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The official friendship visit to Vietnam by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz aims to implement the contents of the agreements reached between the two countries' senior leaders, continuing and developing the special Vietnam-Cuba relationship, demonstrating the determination of both sides to continue to develop and further tighten the friendship, solidarity, mutual trust, and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States, Governments and peoples of the two countries.

After the welcoming ceremony, the two Prime Ministers held talks at the Government Headquarters.

Right before the official welcoming ceremony, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz laid a wreath and visited President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum.

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz laid a wreath and visited President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum.

Earlier, on the evening of September 28, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz led a high-ranking delegation of the Cuban Government to Hanoi. Minister and Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc; Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung and Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolás Hernández Guillén welcomed the delegation at Noi Bai airport.

Minister and Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son welcomed the delegation at Noi Bai airport.

During the visit, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz is expected to pay courtesy visits to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc; meet with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. During the visit, the Cuban Prime Minister will be honored to receive the Ho Chi Minh Order; attend the signing ceremony of cooperation documents between the two sides; attend the Vietnam-Cuba Business Forum; meet with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and a number of other activities.