Enhancing people-to-people external relations in new period

The Vietnam Union ofFriendship Organisations (VUFO) and its members will continue the taskof boosting people-to-people diplomacy in order to expand and diversifythe friendship and cooperation with people in other nations.

VUFO Chairman Vu Xuan Hong has told the press on the key tasks of thepeople-to-people diplomacy in the coming time on the thresholds of theunion’s fifth National Congress to be held in Hanoi on December 30.
According to the Chairman, the Congress which will discussorientation for the next five years (2013-2018), takes place at animportant moment of the country.

The Party andState’s external relations have been implemented synchronously andcomprehensively, contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stableenvironment for national development, he said.

Thecountry has paid attention to deepening ties with neighbouring andregional countries, consolidating the relations with traditionalfriends, maintaining positive relationship with strategic partners andcreating new developments in its cooperation with large partners.

At the time the country is integrating intensively and extensivelyinto the international community, people-to-people relations have beenexpanded at all levels and sectors, he noted.

The Chairman also stressed the importance of people-to-people diplomacy in the country’s external policy.

From 2008 to June 2013, the VUFO mobilised 1.4 billion USD frominternational NGOs to implement 15,000 projects and programmes on suchissues as poverty reduction, sustainable community development, healthcare, education, environmental protection and emergency aid, he said.

The union will continue to implement a nationalprogramme to mobilise assistance from NGOs in the 2013-2017 period,consolidate the relationship with those who are conducting projects inVietnam and expand relations with potential NGOs for further financialsupport, Hong added.-VNA