On the morning of October 1, at the Hai Phong City Conference and Performance Center, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Hai Phong People's Committee, organized the 2026 Meeting with Foreign NGOs under the theme “Partnering with Viet Nam in a new development phase.”

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs Ngo Le Van and Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People's Committee Hoang Minh Cuong co-chaired the conference. The event brought together nearly 300 delegates from around 100 foreign NGOs operating in Viet Nam, along with representatives of central agencies, ministries and sectors, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and numerous localities.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs Ngo Le Van. (Photo: Hai Phong Newspaper)

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van said the conference took place in the first year of Viet Nam’s implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the 2026-2030 Socio-Economic Development Plan. In the new development phase, Viet Nam is focusing on renewing its development model, with science and technology, innovation and digital transformation identified as important drivers. Green transformation and improving the quality of human resources have also been identified as major priorities.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van highly appreciated the contributions of foreign NGOs across various fields, including healthcare, education, poverty reduction, environmental protection and climate change response.

To create a more favorable environment for NGO operations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading the drafting of a decree to replace Decree No. 58/2022/ND-CP on the registration and management of foreign NGOs’ activities in Viet Nam. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has held inter-agency meetings to finalize the legal framework. The draft aims to simplify administrative procedures, enhance openness and transparency, and facilitate the implementation of programs and projects by organizations in Viet Nam.

During the discussion session, representatives of central agencies also exchanged views on Viet Nam’s new development policies, the management and use of non-refundable aid, anti-money laundering measures and orientations for microfinance development. Participants at the conference said foreign NGO resources should be more closely aligned with the practical needs of each locality. Localities should proactively identify priority areas rather than simply receive projects proposed from outside. Areas discussed included green livelihoods, sustainable development, the application of artificial intelligence, improving digital skills among communities, education, healthcare and support for vulnerable groups.

A discussion session at the conference. (Photo: Plan International)

Speaking at the conference, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People's Committee Hoang Minh Cuong said the city wishes to expand cooperation with international organizations in the fields of innovation, digital transformation, the circular economy, healthcare and education. During the first eight months of 2026, Hai Phong received more than US$3.58 million in foreign NGO aid. The city pledged to continue creating favorable conditions for programs and projects to be implemented effectively and deliver benefits to the community.

As part of the conference, three new-phase development cooperation agreements were signed between Vietnamese localities and foreign NGOs.

Among them, the Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee and Plan International Viet Nam signed a cooperation agreement for the 2026-2031 period. The program aims to improve living conditions and expand learning and development opportunities for children, adolescents and communities in the locality.

The Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee and Plan International Viet Nam sign a cooperation agreement for the 2026-2031 period. (Photo: Plan International)

Pham Thu Ba, Acting Country Director of Plan International Viet Nam, said Plan International has implemented a number of programs for children in Tuyen Quang, including activities in education, child protection and disaster resilience in highland communes. She said development programs should take into account the voices and participation of children and adolescents in issues that directly affect their lives and futures.

Two other agreements were signed between remote communes in Lam Dong province and ActionAid in Viet Nam, focusing on support for sustainable community development during the 2026-2028 period.

Leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hai Phong People's Committee and delegates congratulate the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements between Vietnamese partners and representatives of foreign NGOs at the conference. (Photo: Hai Phong Newspaper)

On the afternoon of October 1, delegates continued to visit several cooperation models being implemented in Hai Phong, including the Area Programme of World Vision International and the Viet Nam-Korea Project on care for married people implemented by KOCUN.

Through the discussions and agreements signed at the conference, the event sought to shift relations between localities and foreign NGOs from aid reception toward long-term development cooperation. The focus is on directing international resources, expertise and networks toward the practical needs of communities and Viet Nam’s development priorities in the new phase.

Hai Phong Mobilizes Over USD 1.36 Million in Non-Governmental Aid In the first six months of 2026, the Hai Phong Union of Friendship Organizations mobilized more than USD 1.36 million in foreign non-governmental aid, with over USD 1.1 million disbursed. In the coming period, the city will prioritize expanding cooperation in climate change response, sustainable livelihoods, education, healthcare, and digital transformation.

Digital Transformation to Enhance Cooperation with International Organisations According to Vu Thi Nga, Operations Director of World Vision International in Viet Nam, digital transformation in people-to-people diplomacy not only helps improve the efficiency of management, coordination and information sharing with international organisations, but also opens up new areas of cooperation, from enhancing digital skills to supporting beneficiaries in the digital space.