On 4 December 2025, at the National Convention Center, the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs and the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations jointly organized the “Fifth International Conference on Cooperation between Viet Nam and Foreign Non-Governmental Organizations and Partners for Prosperous and Sustainable Development.”
The event was attended and directed by Mr. Bùi Thanh Sơn, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Viet Nam, together with more than 500 delegates representing ministries, sectors, localities, diplomatic missions, international organizations, foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the business community.
Mr. Bùi Thanh Sơn, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Viet Nam, delivers keynote remarks at the conference. (Photo: Đinh Hòa)
Delegates attend the Fifth International Conference on Cooperation between Viet Nam and Foreign Non-Governmental Organizations and Partners for Prosperous and Sustainable Development. (Photo: Đinh Hòa)
The Fifth International Conference was organized to review the results of cooperation between Viet Nam and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during the 2019–2025 period; clarify the impacts and contributions of NGO programs and projects to Viet Nam’s socio-economic development; share experiences and effective cooperation models among ministries, sectors, localities and foreign NGOs; and draw practical lessons in the management and utilization of foreign NGO aid, thereby proposing orientations and solutions to enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in the coming period.
During the 2020–2025 period, the world situation evolved rapidly, unpredictably, and in a complex manner, creating major challenges for international relations and significantly affecting the operations of foreign NGOs in Viet Nam. Nevertheless, thanks to efforts by ministries, sectors, organizations, and localities to renew thinking, content, and approaches, foreign NGO activities and aid over the past five years remained generally stable.
As of 30 November 2025, 379 foreign NGOs were operating regularly in Viet Nam, with total aid value during the 2020–2024 period reaching nearly USD 1.14 billion. Projects were implemented nationwide, focusing on essential areas such as healthcare, socio-economic development, social issue resolution, education and training, natural resources and environment, organizational capacity building, and legal assistance. These achievements were made possible in large part thanks to Viet Nam’s enabling policies, particularly the National Program on Enhancing Cooperation and Mobilizing Foreign Non-Governmental Aid for the 2019–2025 period.
In recent years, the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs, together with relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial/municipal People’s Committees, has consistently paid attention to creating a favorable environment for the operations of foreign NGOs. As the standing agency of the Committee, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has played a central role in effectively coordinating and connecting foreign NGOs with Vietnamese agencies and localities; serving as a regular and strategic information channel for foreign NGOs and donors to formulate strategies and design programs and projects aligned with Viet Nam’s priorities and needs; while also innovating and diversifying cooperation methods, partnerships and foreign NGO aid mobilization efforts.
The conference consisted of two plenary sessions and four parallel thematic workshops focusing on the following areas: (1) educational development and high-quality human resource development; (2) sustainable poverty reduction and the resolution of social issues toward sustainable social development governance; (3) promoting green growth, circular economy development and sustainable environmental protection; and (4) enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between Viet Nam and foreign NGOs, together with the participation of the business sector.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn affirmed that Viet Nam consistently supports and facilitates the activities of foreign NGOs, thereby promoting friendship and cooperation between the Vietnamese people and people around the world, while mobilizing resources for the country’s poverty reduction and sustainable development goals. Cooperation between Viet Nam and foreign NGOs has continued to affirm its role as an important external relations channel within the overall framework of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy.
Highly appreciating the role of foreign NGOs, Deputy Prime Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn stated that the Government would continue adopting policies to facilitate their activities and encourage the replication of multi-stakeholder cooperation models, including public–private–social partnerships; participation by enterprises, research institutes, and universities; as well as contributions from international experts, academic networks, and local communities. The Deputy Prime Minister also called on ministries, sectors, and localities to renew their thinking and management approaches toward serving people and community development; proactively access aid resources; strengthen administrative reform and technological application; and pay particular attention to project sustainability.
The conference provided an important opportunity for domestic and international delegates, including development cooperation agencies, donors, businesses, and social organizations, to discuss and explore new cooperation opportunities, particularly in emerging priority areas such as digital transformation, green and circular economy, climate change response, innovation, and human resource development. The agreed orientations are expected to create momentum for advancing Viet Nam’s sustainable development goals for the 2026–2030 period.
Source: Thời Đại
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