People-to-people diplomacy serving socio-economic development: VUFO President

People-to-people diplomacy will focus on activities in service of national socio-economic development in 2023, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga has said.

The Party and the State consider 2023 an important year to implement the 2021-2025 socio-economic development plan and the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, Nga noted in a recent interview granted to the press.

She emphasised people-to-people diplomacy’s mission and pioneer role in creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, mobilising external resources for national development, and raising the country’s position and reputation in the international arena.

Priorities will be given to promoting relations of people-to-people diplomacy and making it more intensive, extensive, substantive and effective, according to the ambassador.

2023 also sees various celebrations of diplomatic ties with foreign countries, which will be an opportunity for Vietnam to tighten its friendship with people worldwide and step up cooperation, thus mobilising resources for national socio-economic recovery and development post COVID-19, she said.

 

Reviewing achievements in people-to-people diplomacy in 2022, Nga said the sector has fulfilled most of its major tasks, focusing on relations with neighbouring countries, important partners and traditional friends.

 

VUFO directly joined and chaired many activities, both bilaterally and multilaterally, notably those within the framework of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year, helping consolidate and enhance relations with the two neighbours, she continued.

Multilaterally, Vietnam successfully hosted the 22nd Assembly of the World Peace Council for the first time, reflecting the country’s active and responsible contributions to the council and global peace movements at large, the ambassador said.

Nga also spoke of celebrations of diplomatic ties with other countries like India, Austria and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

A highlight of people-to-people diplomacy in the year was the connectivity between centrally-run agencies and localities, Nga said, explaining that friendship, peace and solidarity activities were organised at both central and local levels.