On the afternoon of 4 December in Hà Nội, the Fifth International Conference on Cooperation between Viet Nam and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), partners for prosperous and sustainable development, concluded after one day of proceedings. The conference identified four orientations for the coming period, highlighting the need to enhance mobilization effectiveness, shift operational areas from scattered implementation to more focused approaches, improve the legal environment, and strengthen staff capacity to meet the requirements of Viet Nam’s sustainable and prosperous development.
The conference heard reports on the outcomes of four thematic workshops, through which delegates jointly reviewed the overall picture of cooperation results between Viet Nam and development partners. The workshops consistently agreed that the success of programs and projects depends closely on four pillars: strategic orientation; transparent information-sharing; sustainable financial resources; and practical experience.
The workshops also received many frank and constructive contributions from foreign NGOs, particularly recommendations related to the legal environment and administrative procedures. These inputs will serve as an official basis for COMINGO to compile and report to competent authorities, thereby helping remove obstacles and realize proposals aimed at creating the most favorable conditions for partners.
The closing and wrap-up session of the Fifth International Conference on Cooperation between Viet Nam and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), partners for prosperous and sustainable development. (Photo: Đinh Hòa)
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hùng, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and Vice Chairman of the COMINGO, affirmed that Viet Nam remains steadfast in placing people at the center, as the subject and driving force of development. The draft documents for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam identify foreign affairs as a “vital and regular” task, alongside national defense and security. This presents both opportunities and requirements for people-to-people diplomacy in general and foreign NGO affairs in particular, requiring Viet Nam and its partners to continue innovating in order to strengthen cooperation and improve effectiveness in the coming period.
He called on foreign NGOs to shift from scattered activities toward concentrating resources in key areas, such as poor provinces or localities with specific comparative advantages, in order to ensure sustainable impact. In terms of sectors, he encouraged organizations to prioritize new solutions, including technical assistance and management software for climate change response, promotion of STEM education, and improvement of “soft infrastructure” such as technology-based classrooms and experience-sharing in teacher training, rather than focusing primarily on physical infrastructure.
Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hùng, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and Vice Chairman of the COMINGO, shares orientations for cooperation. (Photo: Đinh Hòa)
In particular, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and COMINGO called for the support and partnership of foreign NGOs and partners in two specific programs: supporting the provision of books, equipment and operational guidance for standardized libraries, and sponsoring between 3,000 and 5,000 students at 248 schools in disadvantaged areas, in line with the Politburo’s conclusion on the policy of investing in school construction for border communes under Notice No. 81-TB/TW dated 18 July 2025. Finally, Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hùng called on foreign NGOs and partners to jointly build a cooperation ecosystem and proactively guide and work alongside the Vietnamese side in mobilizing resources to access new donors, ensuring that mobilization efforts are properly targeted, appropriately directed, and effective.
The conference adopted a Declaration calling for continued attention, partnership, and active support from the international community, particularly development organizations, donors, enterprises, corporations, and socially responsible individuals, to join hands for a sustainable and prosperous Viet Nam. The parties committed to continuing efforts to build and strengthen sustainable cooperative relations based on mutual understanding, mutual respect, solidarity, and friendship between the people of Viet Nam and the peoples around the world. The Declaration reaffirmed the essential role of people-to-people cooperation in promoting peace, development, and global connectivity, while expressing the hope to continue receiving long-term, responsible, and effective support from international partners in the coming period.
Mr. Ngô Lê Văn, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of COMINGO, delivers closing remarks at the conference. (Photo: Đinh Hòa)
In his closing remarks, Mr. Ngô Lê Văn, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of COMINGO, reviewed the key contents and major achievements of cooperation with foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) since the Fourth International Conference in 2019, highlighting the following outcomes:
Foreign NGOs disbursed more than USD 1.1 billion in aid and implemented thousands of humanitarian and development programs and projects across all regions of Viet Nam. These resources focused on essential sectors, while many effective development models were reviewed and replicated.
Foreign NGOs also made important contributions to promoting the image of a peace-loving, compassionate, proactive, and internationally responsible Viet Nam.
Cooperative relations between foreign NGOs and Vietnamese partners—including state agencies, people’s organizations, localities and enterprises—have been strengthened, expanded and deepened based on equality, mutual respect and trust. Mechanisms for coordination, information-sharing, and monitoring have been improved, helping ensure that aid reception and utilization become more effective, transparent, and aligned with national development priorities.
The four thematic workshops proposed many important initiatives and recommendations, which COMINGO will consolidate and report to the Government to support policymaking in the new period. The recommendations focused on five core areas: improving the legal framework and aid management mechanisms to ensure transparency, convenience and compliance with international standards; innovating coordination processes to promote greater local proactiveness and more effective integration of aid into development objectives; strengthening data-sharing and digital technology application in project management, monitoring and evaluation to ensure timeliness and connectivity; enhancing the capacity of personnel working on foreign NGO affairs at all levels, particularly in integration skills and policy consultation; and encouraging greater participation from the private sector, especially in digital transformation, green transition and innovation.
Deputy Minister Ngô Lê Văn emphasized that, as Viet Nam enters a new stage of development, cooperation with foreign NGOs must continue to undergo strong renewal. In this spirit, the conference agreed on four major orientations for the next phase:
First, to strengthen the mobilization and effective use of foreign NGO aid, particularly in strategic areas such as human resource development, green transition, digital transformation, climate change adaptation, environmental protection, and community resilience enhancement. Foreign NGO aid should be closely linked with Viet Nam’s national strategies and international commitments.
Second, to consolidate and expand networks of international friends and partners, while enhancing information exchange among Vietnamese partners, foreign NGOs, and beneficiaries to promote the dissemination of effective models, good practices, and sustainable development values.
Third, to improve the legal environment and aid management mechanisms in a modern, transparent, and efficient manner, while promoting digital transformation throughout the entire process of aid reception, management, and evaluation.
Fourth, to prioritize capacity-building for personnel engaged in foreign NGO affairs at both central and local levels, enhancing project management skills, external relations skills, integration capacity, and policy analysis to meet the increasingly demanding requirements of the new development stage.
Deputy Minister Ngô Lê Văn expressed confidence that these four orientations would serve as an important foundation for further enhancing the effectiveness of foreign NGO aid, while strengthening ties between Viet Nam and international friends and partners for the shared goal of prosperous and sustainable development.
Source: Thời Đại
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