The conference brought together officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of local foreign affairs agencies from across the country and many related units.
In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ngo Le Van, considered that the work carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the past period had made it possible to obtain many positive results, contributing significantly to the process international integration and the socio-economic development of the country.
According to the Deputy Minister, the international cooperation network of local authorities is constantly expanding, with numerous cooperation agreements and twinning programs taking a more concrete form. Many of them have actively integrated their external relations activities with their development objectives, gradually transforming these cooperative relations into tangible resources such as foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, export growth, international tourist attraction, as well as cooperative programs in vocational training and human resources.
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| Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van chaired the opening ceremony of the 2026 Conference of Heads of Local Foreign Affairs Agencies. (Photo: Nguoi Lao Dong Journal) |
In addition, cultural diplomacy, the promotion of the image of the territory on a global scale and lobbying with international organizations, notably UNESCO, for the registration of sites as cultural heritage are implemented in an increasingly systematic and professional manner.
Highlighting the increasingly important role of local authorities in the process of international integration, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van declared that experience shows that these communities are the direct beneficiaries of capital, technologies and knowledge from around the world, and that this is where the image of the nation is perceived most concretely and most intensely. “The local authorities are no longer behind, but are becoming the spearhead of integration,” he said.
During the conference, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Bui Minh Thanh, stressed that the international and regional context is changing considerably, which requires local authorities to continue to actively promote their diplomatic role to mobilize international resources, expand their development space and make a concrete contribution to the country’s development process.
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| Delegates participating in the conference. (Photo : Journal Nguoi Lao Dong) |
Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City said the city has always considered foreign relations as one of the main drivers of its growth and expressed their wish to continue to enjoy the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and strengthen the exchanges of experiences with other localities in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of foreign policy in the future.
As part of the conference, delegates heard a summary report on the work carried out at the local level in terms of foreign policy in 2025, a report on the implementation of diplomacy for development in the new context; they also shared their practical experiences, difficulties and obstacles, and proposed many solutions to improve the effectiveness of foreign policy activities at the local level.
Discussions focused on strengthening coordination mechanisms between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local authorities, between foreign affairs agencies and departments and the business community; thus ensuring proper functioning within the new organizational model, thereby helping local communities to proactively seek cooperation opportunities and mobilize international resources in the service of socio-economic development.
The discussions and recommendations made at the conference were considered an important source of practical information from the field, contributing to the development of the agenda for the 22nd National Foreign Affairs Conference, scheduled for August.
Source : https://thoidai.com.vn/doi-ngoai-dia-phuong-ngay-cang-khang-dinh-vai-role-tuyen-dau-cua-hoi-nhap-222129.html
