…Vietnamese yet to present credentials to His Majesty the King
BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – Vietnam has appointed Nguyen Trong Kien as its Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to South Africa, with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Eswatini and four other Southern African countries.
Kien is based in Pretoria and is responsible for Vietnam’s diplomatic relations with South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
Vietnamese government records list Kien as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to South Africa, concurrently accredited to Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
His appointment comes as Vietnam seeks to strengthen its engagement with Southern Africa, with South Africa serving as the base for its diplomatic representation in the region.
Kien has already taken up his new assignment in South Africa. A diplomatic report published on about three weeks ago stated that the newly appointed ambassador-designate had arrived in South Africa and was beginning his new posting.
The new ambassador brings considerable experience in international relations and Vietnamese diplomacy. He previously served in Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was appointed Deputy Director-General in July 2025, according to the report on his arrival in South Africa.
His concurrent accreditation to Eswatini means he will be responsible for advancing Vietnam’s diplomatic engagement with the Kingdom while operating from Pretoria.
Kien’s arrival also comes at a time when Vietnam is seeking to deepen political, economic and people-to-people links with countries across Southern Africa.
His portfolio provides him with responsibility for six countries in the region, giving him a broad diplomatic mandate covering countries with significant economic and political roles in Southern Africa.
The new ambassador has already begun participating in diplomatic activities in Pretoria. On August 25, he joined a Vietnamese military delegation during a visit to South Africa’s Defence Headquarters, where the delegation engaged with senior officials of the South African National Defence Force.
Kien was also identified as Vietnam’s ambassador at the ASEAN Day reception held in Pretoria on August 28, where ambassadors and chargé d’affaires from Southeast Asian countries serving in South Africa gathered to mark ASEAN Day.
His appointment creates a new point of contact between Eswatini and Vietnam at a time when countries in the region are looking to expand cooperation beyond traditional diplomatic relations.
Through his concurrent accreditation, Kien is expected to engage Eswatini authorities on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, education, agriculture, technology, tourism and cooperation in multilateral forums.
Vietnam and Eswatini maintain diplomatic relations, with Vietnam’s ambassador in Pretoria responsible for the Kingdom on a non-resident basis.
Kien’s appointment therefore adds a new senior diplomatic representative to Eswatini’s international network, although his base remains in Pretoria.
The formal presentation of credentials in Eswatini is a separate stage of the diplomatic process. Kien’s appointment and assumption of his Pretoria-based assignment precede his formal accreditation ceremonies in the Kingdom.
His tenure is expected to provide an opportunity for Vietnam and Eswatini to explore new areas of cooperation and strengthen existing diplomatic relations.
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