President of Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, Ambassador Nguyễn Phương Nga. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and other people’s organisations have flexibly responded to the current challenges and renovated their activities to adapt to the new situation, VUFO President Ambassador Nguyễn Phương Nga has said.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) ahead of the National Conference on External Affairs, slated for Tuesday (December 14) in Hà Nội, Nga pointed out the challenges to people-to-people diplomacy, including complex developments of the world situation and the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the 13th National Party Congress has identified people-to-people diplomacy as one of the three pillars of external relations, together with Party diplomacy and State diplomacy.

Highlighting Việt Nam’s friendship with foreign countries, friends and partners, which has been consolidated over the past decades, the VUFO President said Việt Nam is working hard to expand the network of friends and mobilise international resources to serve national construction and development.

During the interview, Nga also reviewed achievements recorded in people-to-people diplomacy across spheres, saying despite the pandemic, Việt Nam’s connection with international friends has not been disrupted thanks to the utilisation of internet and social platforms.

She said VUFO has so far raised more than US$47 billion ($2.04 million) in support of the COVID-19 combat. Meanwhile, 57 non-governmental organisations have donated over $10.6 million to help Viet Nam fight the pandemic.

The Việt Nam-Laos, Việt Nam-Cambodia and Việt Nam-India Friendship Associations, among others, have also mobilised resources to aid foreign friends affected by the pandemic, Nga added.

She emphasised contributions of the associations to the country’s socio-economic development through the organisation of seminars.

Right after the pandemic was brought under control, people-to-people diplomacy activities have been integrated into overseas trips by high-ranking leaders, according to the VUFO President.

Apart from bilateral activities, people-to-people diplomacy has also played a part in affirming Việt Nam's role and position at people’s forums like the ASEAN People’s Forum and the Asia-Europe People’s Forum.

In the foreign non-governmental work, Nga said foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have pledged $260 million in aid for Việt Nam this year.

The upcoming conference will set out specific orientations, directions and strategies for agencies, ministries and branches in this field.

It will also seek measures to promote the effectiveness of coordination between agencies and localities, and between Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. — VNS