At the congress. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The 5th National Representative Congress of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin for the term 2023-2028 commenced in Hà Nội on Friday.

The event witnessed the active participation of over 300 delegates and representatives, collectively representing the interests of more than 400,000 members nationwide.

Addressing the Congress, Bùi Thị Minh Hoài, a Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Commission for Mass Mobilisation, acknowledged and commended the accomplishments of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin during the previous term. She emphasised that the Party and State have issued numerous guidelines and policies to progressively improve and enhance the material and spiritual lives of the people, including implementing social protection and focusing on policy beneficiaries and disadvantaged individuals in society, especially victims of Agent Orange.

Despite significant financial allocations for subsidies, healthcare, rehabilitation, and support for areas severely affected by Agent Orange, the environmental and health impact remains severe, and social policies cannot fully compensate. Hence, there is a continued need to "join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange," instil faith in victims, alleviate difficulties, and strive for community integration, she said.

Hoài urged the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to clearly define directions, goals, tasks, and practical solutions to carry out the Association's political mission in the next period. She stressed the importance of the Association aligning with and implementing the Party's policies and the State's legal policies related to Agent Orange victims. The Association should coordinate efforts to advise and propose measures to effectively mobilise resources to support, care for, and help victims, ensuring that all policies reach the intended beneficiaries, she said.

Furthermore, she stated that the activities of the Association should emanate from the legitimate aspirations, rights, and interests of victims, aiding their gradual integration into the community.

The 5th National Congress of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, for the term 2023-2028, also serves as an occasion to prepare for celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Việt Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (January 10, 2004 - January 10, 2024). This event marks the growth and development of the Association from central to local levels, affirming its position, reach, and prestige domestically and internationally. — VNS