This gift was announced during a state visit to Cuba from March 28 to 30, 2018 by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), Nguyen Phu Trong, to show support for the Cuban people in overcoming difficulties.

Addressing the ceremony, Do Viet Duc, Director General of the GDSR, said that according to the tasks the Minister of Finance assigned to the GDSR, the Department of State Reserves in the Northeastern area will hand over 5,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam's national reserve to the Cuban people at Mariel Port in Cuba, from June 23 to July 15, 2018.

At the ceremony, Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam, Lianys Torres Rivera, expressed the great appreciation of the Party, State and people of Cuba for the Vietnamese people. At the same time, she stressed that this is an important gift which will not only help Cuban people overcome difficulties but will also strengthen the friendship between the two countries over the years.

After the ceremony, delegates arrived at the Nam Hai port in Hai Phong to witness the first batch of the 5,000 tonnes of rice loaded in Hai Phong port, before boarding the ship to Cuba.