Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations: Strong Renewal in New Stage of Development

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Attending the event were President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son; former Presidents Nguyen Chi Vu, Vu Xuan Hong, and Nguyen Phuong Nga; Vice Presidents; leaders of departments and units of the Standing Body; as well as former leaders and retired officials of the Standing Body across different periods.

At the meeting, delegates listened to a report by Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, on the results of activities in 2025 and the orientations and tasks for 2026. Based on the report, President Phan Anh Son provided further exchanges and clarifications on the new context and requirements for VUFO’s activities.

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son speaks at the meeting with retired officials to celebrate the Spring of the Binh Ngo Year 2026. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

According to him, 2025 was a particularly significant year, marked by major impacts from both domestic and international developments. Domestically, the restructuring and streamlining of the political system’s organizational apparatus brought about fundamental changes in organizational models and leadership methods. The establishment of the Party Committee of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, under the Party Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Central mass organizations, placed the Union in a new position with higher requirements, responsibilities, and expectations. In addition, the expectations and requirements of Party and State leaders regarding external relations, international integration, and people-to-people diplomacy have continued to rise, in line with the spirit of the documents of the 14th National Party Congress, which identify foreign affairs and international integration, together with national defense and security, as “key and regular” tasks.

In the international context, intensifying strategic competition among major power centers, increasing clashes of interests, weakening multilateral institutions, and shifts in the structure of international relations have posed new demands for the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations to proactively adapt, expand, and renew its network of partners.

Entering 2026, the standing body of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations has identified three major priorities:

First, personnel work and training are identified as key tasks, aimed at enhancing the capacity, skills, and practical experience of the people-to-people diplomacy workforce throughout the Viet Nam Fatherland Front system, from the central to local levels.

Second, digital transformation associated with building databases of international friends and partners, in order to improve management efficiency, connectivity, and the mobilization of external resources, with efforts to create a clear breakthrough in 2026.

Third, enhancing the substance of people-to-people diplomacy activities, increasing their economic content, linking external relations with the promotion of socio-economic development, intertwining interests, and serving local development.

Former leaders and retired officials expressed their joy, excitement, and pride in the comprehensive achievements attained by the Union over the past year; at the same time, they showed strong consensus with the work orientations for 2026 and contributed many heartfelt and practical opinions.

Vu Xuan Hong, former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Vu Xuan Hong, former President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, highly appreciated the Union’s rapid and comprehensive adaptation to the new context, particularly its renewal of working methods and application of modern tools, which have contributed to improving the quality of its work. He noted that Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations’ placement under the “common home” of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front opens up new space for development, creating favorable conditions to enhance the Union’s position and its core role in people-to-people diplomacy. He emphasized the need for flexible adjustments in methods, partners, tools, and resources, closely linking people-to-people diplomacy with socio-economic development goals and effectively mobilizing external resources. He also proposed building a shared database and a “partner map” for the entire Viet Nam Fatherland Front system to enhance connectivity, coordination, and the utilization of external resources.

Do Ba Khoa, former Secretary General of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, acknowledged that the Union continues to be entrusted with organizing many important external activities, thereby demonstrating its core role within the people-to-people diplomacy system. He agreed with the policy of streamlining the organizational apparatus and recommended continued reviews and consolidation of less effective organizations, improving the quality of personnel, and ensuring substantive and effective operations at both central and local levels. He also emphasized the Union’s strength in sharing Vietnam’s development experience, thereby linking people-to-people diplomacy with socio-economic development goals.

Nguyen Phuong Nga, former President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, noted that the past year was particularly challenging, with a heavy workload and high quality requirements, yet the results achieved were comprehensive and in-depth. She highly appreciated the enthusiasm, professionalism, and work efficiency of the Union’s staff, and affirmed that the role of people-to-people diplomacy is increasingly being demonstrated through the substance of its activities.

According to Nguyen Phuong Nga, the restructuring and streamlining of the organizational apparatus, together with the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations’ placement under the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, have opened up a new stage of development in which the Union’s position and role have been markedly enhanced. The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations should not only conduct external relations activities within its own scope, but should be identified as the core force in implementing people-to-people diplomacy for the entire Fatherland Front system, thereby clarifying its “standing” and “position” and bringing into full play the combined strength of the great national unity bloc within the political system.

She emphasized the need to promptly clarify the organizational model and positioning of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations in the coming period, in the spirit of thoroughly grasping the view that foreign affairs are a “key and regular” task - not only for the Party’s and State’s specialized external relations agencies, but for the entire people-to-people diplomacy system. According to her, clearly establishing this positioning is of great significance for improving mechanisms and policies, allocating resources, and serving as a foundation for successfully organizing the 7th National Congress of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations in the time ahead. She also proposed strengthening central-local connectivity, rejuvenating the cadre force, expanding the social base, and intensifying information and communications work, while effectively leveraging modern communication tools.

Generations of leaders and officials of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations pose for a commemorative photo. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

In his concluding remarks, President Phan Anh Son respectfully acknowledged and fully absorbed the heartfelt, responsible opinions and words of encouragement from former leaders and retired officials, affirming that these constitute an important source of motivation for the collective leadership, departments, units, and all officials and employees to continue striving and making efforts in 2026.

He stated that in the coming period, organizational restructuring, institutional consolidation, and efforts to enhance operational effectiveness will continue to be implemented in strict accordance with central guidelines, ensuring a streamlined and substantive approach aligned with assigned functions and tasks, thereby contributing to improved effectiveness and efficiency in the Union’s operations.

At the same time, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will continue to expand partnerships, mobilize socialized resources for traditional projects, place emphasis on training, nurturing, and bringing into full play the capabilities of its cadre contingent, and create conditions for officials to grow and meet the increasingly high demands of people-to-people diplomacy in the new stage.

Affirming a strong sense of responsibility, he stressed that the leadership of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations will continue to inherit and carry forward the traditions of previous generations, focus on improving the quality and effectiveness of activities, and strive to successfully fulfill all assigned tasks.

On this occasion, Phan Anh Son extended his best wishes for good health to former leaders and all retired officials, and expressed his hope to continue receiving their attention and valuable input so that the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations can successfully fulfill its tasks in 2026.

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