Phạm Dứt Điểm, director of the HCM City Department of Foreign Affairs, speaks at the press conference in HCM City on September 4. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY — The 3rd HCM City Friendship Dialogue 2026 (FD 2026) will take place from September 10 to 12 in the city's Vũng Tàu Ward, aiming to strengthen friendship and co-operation with the city's sister localities and global partners, said Phạm Dứt Điểm, director of the HCM City Department of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference in the city on September 4.

HCM City Friendship Dialogue known as a sub-national political and diplomatic forum with international scope, held biennially by the HCM City People's Committee since 2022.

Themed "City Diplomacy: A Driving Force for Innovation and Sustainable Development", this year event is expected to feature around 500 domestic and international delegates, including nearly 40 delegations from sister localities and global partners of the city. 

A major highlight of the programme is the mayors' conference on September 11, focusing on the proactive role of localities in national foreign policy.

During the conference, delegates will share lessons from international urban networks such as chain PORT, World Cities Culture Forum, C40, Metropolis, UCLG or CityNet, on leveraging urban diplomacy to attract investment, transfer technology and develop human resources for sustainable growth.

The conference will also host two thematic discussion sessions: one on the role of local institutions in encouraging enterprise investment in research and development (R&D) and transforming innovation outcomes into commercial products, and another on green port cooperation.

Other activities include thematic discussions, friendship networking events, public diplomacy programmes and local field trips.

Through these initiatives, FD 2026 also targets to mobilise high-quality international resources, foster innovation, enhance competitiveness, and contribute to HCM City's goals of rapid and sustainable growth. — VNS