Vietnamese Party chief and State President Nguyen Phu Trong will lead the funeral organizing committee for the national mourning of former President Le Duc Anh on May 3 and 4, according to an announcement issued by the Vietnam News Agency on Saturday.

General Secretary Trong will be the head of the 39-member organizing committee for the two-day state funeral of former President Anh, who passed away at the age of 99 due to illness and old age on Monday.

The body of former President Anh will be laid in state at the National Funeral Hall on Tran Thanh Tong Street in Hanoi. 

People will be allowed to visit and pay respects from 7:00 am on May 3, until the memorial service takes place at the venue at 11:00 am on the same day.

Another memorial service will be held at the same time at the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City and former President Anh’s hometown in the north-central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

The burial ceremony will be carried out at the Ho Chi Minh City Cemetery at 5:00 pm on the same day.

National flags will be flown at half-mast at governmental offices and public places, while no public entertainment events will be held during the two-day state funeral.

The Vietnam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) will broadcast the ceremonies in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Anh served as state president between 1992 and 1997.

Following his presidency, he became an advisor to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam in December 1997, before retiring in April 2001.

Anh was a member of the all-powerful Politburo from March 1982 to December 1997.

He was also a military general and served as Minister of National Defense from February 1987 to September 1992.

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