On November 7, 2011, H.R.H. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg began his four-day official visit to Vietnam. Accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, the Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, Marie-Josée Jacobs, and the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Jeannot Krecké the Grand Duke and his delegation arrived the Presidential Palace where they were officially greeted to the country by President Truong Tan Sang.
Per the official site for the government of Luxembourg, Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg:
After the official welcoming ceremony and inspection of the honor guard, the two leaders had a first exchange of views. After the meeting, a memorandum of understanding on the provision of expertise and technical assistance to the financial sector, capacity building and training was signed by the Minister of Cooperation and Action humanitarian, Marie-Josée Jacobs, and the Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh, in the presence of two heads of state.
The program of HRH the Grand Duke also included meetings with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, General Secretary of the Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the National Assembly, Nguyen Sinh Hung.
For their part, members of the Government accompanying the Head of State also had interviews with their respective counterparts. On the agenda of these meetings have primarily featured bilateral relations, economic, financial and development cooperation between Vietnam and Luxembourg.
Moreover, the foreign minister of Luxembourg spoke on EU-Asia relations at the prestigious Diplomatic Academy in Hanoi. After his presentation, he had the opportunity to have discussions with teachers and students of the Academy.
Since 1995, Vietnam is a country of Luxembourg cooperation partner, who takes the form of projects including bilateral, multilateral projects and projects implemented by NGOs in Luxembourg.
Particularly in this context that HRH the Grand Duke and his delegation visited the rehabilitation center at the hospital Bach May . This project of Handicap International Luxembourg, supported by the Luxembourg Government, aims to strengthen rehabilitation services for victims of spinal cord. This project provides training of specialists assigned to spinal unit of the hospital, which will eventually become trainers in their provincial counterparts. As a reference center, and this unit will support the development of provincial centers.
HRH the Grand Duke and the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam had the opportunity to continue their discussions at a formal dinner hosted by the President in honor of the Head of State of Luxembourg.
To mark the official banquet at the Government Guest House in Hanoi, HRH the Grand Duke, first of all congratulated Vietnam for its integration into the global economy, especially its accession to the World Trade Organization ‘which has contributed to economic growth.’ source
Tomorrow, H.R.H. Grand Duke Henri will visit the National Monument of Heroes and Marthers then travel to the cities of Hue and Ho Chi Minh City on November 10, 2011.