Opening speech of Mr. Bùi Thanh Sơn Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of COMINGO at the 4th International Conference on Vietnam – Foreign NGO Cooperation in Ha Noi on 12-13 December, 2019

• Leaders and representatives of ministries, branches, and agencies;
• Representatives of foreign NGOs, development partners, and Embassies
• Ladies and gentlemen,

One behalf of the Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs (COMINGO), I warmly welcome you all to the 4th International Conference on Vietnam – Foreign NGO Cooperation. This conference gathers about 800 domestic and foreign delegates, including representatives of ministries, branches; representatives of 63 provinces/cities; representatives of foreign NGOs, international organizations and the diplomatic corps. Your presence at this conference demonstrates confidence in the potential and commitment to further effective cooperation between Vietnam and foreign NGOs. And I do believe our conference will certainly succeed.

This conference takes places in the context of Vietnam’s efforts to successfully implement the Resolution of the 12th National Congress and prepare for the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. International relations are strongly affected by many factors such as instabilities in the world and regional situations that demonstrate rapid, complicated and unpredictable fluctuations; global economic slowdown; intense strategic competition among major countries; protectionism, populism, nationalism and political power; as well as traditional and non-traditional security threats. However, in spite of all this, peace, cooperation and development are still the major trend. Dialogue and cooperation among countries are still needed to address regional and global challenges and resolve differences and disagreements. Multilateralism and economic links are still strongly promoted.

In this context, cooperation between Vietnam and our foreign NGOs has enjoyed some very encouraging achievements. Over the past 5 years, in addition to contributing to poverty reduction and sustainable development in Vietnam, foreign NGOs have actively contributed to promoting friendship and cooperation between Vietnamese people and people around the world.

On behalf of COMINGO, Vietnamese people in general and especially those directly benefiting from our foreign NGOs’ support, I would like to express my sincere thanks and my deepest appreciation for your friendship and contribution to Vietnamese people in the past several years.

(Mr. Bùi Thanh Sơn, Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of COMINGO at the 4th International Conference)

The 4th International Conference on Vietnam – Foreign NGO Cooperation is an important opportunity to comprehensively review the outcome of cooperation between Vietnam and foreign NGOs in the 6 years since the 3rd International Conference in 2013. Together, we will exchange openly and sincerely to draw lessons learned on the cooperation with partners; share information on Vietnam’s needs and priorities in cooperation with foreign NGOs; and discuss direction of future cooperation between Vietnam and foreign NGOs in the coming years.

Reports on the cooperation with foreign NGOs of different agencies and reports on contents and implementation of the National Program on promotion of the contribution and assistance from foreign NGOs in the period of 2019-2025 are going to be made at the opening session.

There are also 6 thematic workshops on the cooperation between Vietnam and foreign NGOs in the following priority sectors: i) vocational training and education; ii) healthcare; iii) the cooperation with foreign businesses and foreign NGOs for sustainable development; iv) addressing social issues and war legacies; v) environment, climate change response, natural disasters prevention and mitigation and emergency relief; and vi) poverty reduction and socio-economic development.

To achieve real results, I would like kindly to request all delegates to actively exchange, discuss, and share effective ways to promote cooperation between parties and to contribute specific recommendations on mechanisms and policies to create strong, breakthrough-level cooperation between Vietnam and foreign NGOs. Your positive contribution will take our relationship to a new stage toward successfully implementing the National Program on the promotion of cooperation and assistance from foreign NGOs for sustainable development in the period of 2019 – 2021. This Conference is also an opportunity for connecting and developing partnerships between foreign NGOs, localities and partners.

In that same spirit, I am very pleased to announce the opening of the 4th International Conference on Vietnam – Foreign NGO Cooperation.

Best wishes for a successful conference.

Thank you so much!