Deputy Minister of Justice Mai Lương Khôi (L) in a meeting with Italian Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio. VNA/VNS Photo

ROME  - A delegation from Việt Nam's Ministry of Justice, led by Deputy Minister Mai Lương Khôi, paid a recent working visit to Italy to enhance bilateral collaboration in legal and judicial sectors, building upon the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2016.

Meeting with Italian Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio on April 16, Khôi praised Italy’s support for Việt Nam’s socio-economic development and underscored that the fruitful cooperation and strong friendship between the two countries provide a solid foundation to elevate their strategic partnership to a new high.

Deputy Minister Khoi expressed his hope that the two ministries will continue effectively implementing the 2016 MoU through specific cooperation activities. He presented a draft cooperation programme for 2026-2027 to Minister Nordio and proposed that the two sides promptly finalise the draft to ensure efficient execution of the 2016 MoU.

Nordio, for his part, stated that the delegation visit is a vivid demonstration for the growing cooperation between the two countries, particularly in legal and judicial matters. He expressed Italy's readiness to cooperate and share experience with Việt Nam in the areas of its interest, especially in combating organised crime and training personnel.

Earlier, at a discussion with officials from the Italian Ministry of Justice, the delegation exchanged information about digital transformation in judicial work, including the application of information technology in law enforcement, asset verification for enforcement purposes, and AI applications in legal and judicial fields. Both sides agreed to jointly hold future online and in-person workshops to continue sharing experiences in areas where they have similar functions.

While in Italy, the delegation also had working sessions with President of the National Council of Notaries Giulio Biino and general secretary of the bar association Alessandro Graziani. At the event, Khoi shared information about the development of notaries and lawyers in Việt Nam, while Italian experts introduced electronic notarisation systems, training and management of legal professionals, and data sharing between judicial bodies and other organisations.

In a meeting with Vice President of Italy’s Commission for Intercountry Adoption Vincenzo Starita, Khoi praised Vietnam-Italy cooperation in the field.

Italy ranks among the top three countries with the highest number of approved adoptions of Vietnamese children. Many children with serious illnesses, disabilities, and HIV/AIDS have received medical assistance and found substitute families through Italian adoption organisations.

Starita thanked the Vietnamese ministry for promoting cooperation in adoption, affirming that Italy is willing to support Việt Nam with training activities. Deputy Minister Khoi reaffirmed Việt Nam's commitment to effectively implementing international adoption commitments and expressed confidence in continued cooperation in this humanitarian area.

The delegation also visited the Vietnamese Embassy to discuss general cooperation between the two countries, particularly in legal and judicial domains. VNS