Diplomacy for development: All foreign policy activities must be oriented towards local interests.

According to the Deputy Minister, the motto “Placing citizens, local authorities and businesses at the heart of the service” does not mean a total decentralization of skills in matters of foreign policy for the benefit of local authorities, but rather underlines the responsibility of the sector diplomatic in direct support for local development The role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese representations abroad is not limited to the development of cooperation, but also involves the active search for resources for the development of local communities, the implementation relationship of the latter and their routing.

From the practical point of view of implementing foreign policy in the service of local communities, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van also shared some important principles for building and maintaining relations with international partners. According to him, the first and most fundamental principle is to guarantee harmonious and mutually beneficial interests.

Currently, international cooperation must be based on the foundations of equality, substance and mutual development. According to the Deputy Minister, to maintain lasting relationships with their partners, local authorities must clearly define their common interests, create concrete added value and guarantee long-term implementation, instead of being satisfied with formal commitments.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van’s presentation not only traced the evolution of Vietnam’s foreign policy thinking through different periods, but also highlighted the need for strong innovation in diplomatic methods for this new phase of development. In this context, the primary objective of foreign policy is to contribute directly to socio-economic development, to improve the quality of life of the population and to increase the competitiveness of each territory within the framework of international integration.

Presentation of the second theme of a series of three addressed as part of the seminar on the skills necessary for the implementation of diplomatic action in the service of development. (Photo: Thanh Long)

All foreign policy activities should be oriented towards local interests.

In his final remarks during the thematic session “Sharing experiences and skills in building and maintaining relationships, connecting partners, supporting local communities and implementing diplomacy for development”, the Deputy Minister of Affairs Foreign Ministers, Ngo Le Van, stressed the need to improve the content, effectiveness and sustainability of partner networks for local development.

According to the Deputy Minister, the first essential skill for implementing development diplomacy consists of “adequately matching” the needs of partners to the assets of the territory. He believes that this is not only a professional skill, but also a fundamental principle for promoting international cooperation.

The vice minister asked Vietnamese overseas representative agencies and foreign affairs officials to cultivate a constant mindset of serving local communities in implementing all their foreign policy activities.

“Any work relating to foreign affairs must take into account local interests,†the deputy minister underlined, adding that this is a permanent task of the diplomatic sector during the current period.

Continuing his analysis of the success factors of international cooperation, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van affirmed that the principle of “sharing benefits and risks” must be fully integrated throughout the process of establishing and deploying cooperation. According to him, only when all parties see concrete benefits can cooperation be sustainable and bear fruit in the long term.

Today, local diplomatic action must not be limited to establishing relationships, but also to supporting local communities in resolving difficulties and removing obstacles between the cooperating parties. International relations agencies must proactively provide information and advice, promote exchanges and facilitate the implementation of international cooperation projects and programs.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van said a good understanding of the role, nature and limits of responsibility of the liaison agency is essential to ensure effective coordination between the parties and to help development diplomacy become deeper, more substantive and more sustainable in the future.