(VNF) - On December 19^th, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) organised a conference to review the National Program for the Promotion of Foreign Non-Governmental Organisation Assistance (the Program) in 2013-2017.

Attending the conference were about 100 delegates from agencies participating in the Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs (COMINGO), representatives of People's Committees of north provinces and cities; focal point for operational and foreign non-governmental aid mobilisation management in provinces and cities in the north.

Don Tuan Phong, Member of the National Assembly, COMINGO Deputy Head, VUFO Vice President cum General Secretary chaired the meeting.

Don Tuan Phong, Member of the National Assembly, COMINGO Deputy Head, VUFO Vice President cum General Secretary at the meeting. (Photo: Thuy Linh/VNF)

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Phong emphasised that the conference was organised with the purpose of recognising and evaluating the achievements and constraints to make recommendations on the FNG aid mobilisation and the program development for the coming period.

The Program basically achieves the set targets

The Program has been operated for the past five years. With the basic objective of maintaining, expanding and improving the efficiency of cooperation with foreign NGOs, its basic objective has been basically achieved: To further develop the existing partnership cooperation between Vietnam and foreign NGOs, and broaden the relationship with potential foreign NGOs; To strengthen the promotion and raising the effectiveness of NGO assistance; To develop an appropriate and favorable legal environment for foreign NGOs’ activities, and improve the activeness of related sectors, localities and people’s organisations, etc.

On the basis of the review reports from ministries, sectors, localities and the people's organisations, and based on the actual work conducted by the VUFO, it can be seen, the Program implemented in both central and local levels, was implemented effectively, basically achieving the set targets.

According to the report on foreign NGO's work from 2013 to present, there are about 20 new foreign NGOs nationwide, with about 600 foreign NGOs operating regularly in Vietnam. The value of foreign non-governmental aid in the period 2013-2017 is more than USD 1.5 billion, with an average of USD 300 million per year.

Although there are some shortcomings, the Program for the period 2013-2017 has been implemented successfully, with the value of assistance has been maintained with improved quality and the number of NGOs operating in Vietnam remains high.

Overview of the meeting. (Photo: Thuy Linh/VNF)

The report provides an overview of aid mobilisation over the past five measures: supplementing and amending legal documents; providing information on the situation and sectoral and local needs; strengthening the inspection and supervision; enhancing capacity building and training for staff in sectors and localities. The aid mobilisation has seen a lot of changes in the subjects and methods of aid mobilisation. The VUFO and many localities have actively linked donors and foreign NGOs to Vietnamese partners.

In recent years, many legal documents related to foreign NGOs were issued, while others have been revised, towards facilitating NGOs’ activities in the country. Cooperation between State management agencies and NGOs has been also strengthened.Legislation is being developed to create a more complete and clear legal environment for the activities of INGOs in Vietnam. The inspection and supervision of the implementation of foreign non-govermental aid programs and projects in the locality is intensified. The training of human resources for efficient aid raising, management and utilization is also paid attention during the period 2013-2017.

In localities, through the implementation of measures mentioned in the program, foreign non-govermental aid mobilisation has become more orderly and stable. Cooperation with foreign NGOs has been strengthened and developed. Projects funded by INGOs have contributed positively to poverty reduction and sustainable development in localities.

Representatives from provinces and cities. (Photo: Thuy Linh/VNF)

Orientation for developing new program

Based on the evaluation of the Program for the period 2013-2017, the VUFO will assume the responsibility in building a plan for the work in the next phase to strengthen the promotion and raising the effectiveness of foreign NGO assistance, supporting the poverty reduction and development efforts of the Government of Vietnam.

Accordingly, on the basis of local assessments, the objective of cooperation with foreign NGOs in the new program is to: Strengthening cooperation with foreign NGOs operating in Vietnam as well as in localities and provincial levels; Expanding the relationship with potential foreign NGOs working in and outside Vietnam; Maintaining and enhancing the value of foreign NGO assistance in the province. Provincial leaders all agreed that these are important targets to be implemented in the coming time.

On the field of cooperation, in addition to the existing areas, localities are also interested in a number of new areas such as non-agricultural economic development, culture-sports, high-tech agriculture, etc.

At the meeting, representatives of some localities and ministries gave presentations on foreign non-govermental aid mobilisation over the past time, highlighting advantages, difficulties as well as experiences in the process of deployment. Participants in the conference actively contributed ideas, discussed the difficulties, and made recommendations for better implementation in the coming time./.

Translated by Minh Chau