
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Minister ofHome Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra held talks with French Minister of Public Transformation and Service Stanislas Guérini in Hanoi on November 30.
Minister Tra hailed theminister’s visit as a significant milestone as the two countries are celebrating the50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.
She said thanks to effective cooperation withthe French Ministry of PublicTransformation and Service, the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA)has acquired valuable experience to perform tasks, especially in public servicetransformation, administrative reform and digital transformation.
According to her, a considerable number of officials andcivil servants is leaving the public sector for the private sector followingthe COVID-19. To supplement this workforce while ensuring a reduction inpersonnel on the payroll, the ministry is studying policies to attract andretain talent in the public sector.
In administrative reform, Vietnam is focusing ondecentralisation linked with power control to ensure the effectiveness of work,she said, adding that the initial results in public service and administrative reform,and digital transformation in Vietnam are achieved through the collaborationwith the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service.
Guérini, for his part, expressed admiration forVietnam's achievements in digital transformation, especially the NationalPublic Service Portal, which is a product of joint work with France.
Bothsides agreed on coordination in various areas, incorporating them into thecooperation plan between the two ministries. Activities include the exchange ofexperience, workshops, seminars in Vietnam or France, and relevant countrieswithin the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)network, ASEAN mechanisms, focusing on public governance, administrative and publicservice reform, and civil service improvement.
Specialattention was given to training and nurturing young and female officials forlocal authorities in Vietnam at France’s Normandie Business School and theNational Institute of Public Service (INSP), a project currently undertaken bythe MoHA.
Theypromised to bolster cooperation in digital transformation, e-government, anddigital archives. Ongoing efforts include strengthening support and expertexchanges in public service, administrative and salary reform, aiming for a modern,professional, green and sustainable public service.
In the afternoon the same day, President of the Ho Chi Minh Academy ofPolitics (HCMA) and Chairman of the Central Theory Council NguyenXuan Thang hosted a reception for the minister.
Thang told the guestthat the HCMA wishes to step up cooperation and share experience with French partners in personneltraining and scientific research.
Hesuggested the French ministry and partners continue assisting Vietnam inrefining its institutional framework and administrative reform toward a modernpublic administration.
Later,both host and guest also witnessed the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understandingbetween the HCMA, the INSP, and the GeneralDirectorate for the Administration and CivilService of France./.