VUFO President Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga speaks at the congress. (Photo: VNA)

The congress aimed to review its operation during the 2013-2018 period and put forth orientations and tasks for 2019-2024. Nga called for opinions to map out operational orientations for the union in order to make it stronger, contributing to the common goals of foreign relations that are maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, maximising international support and resources in service of national construction and defence, improving Vietnam’s position in the world arena and contributing to global people’s movements for peace, justice, democracy and social progress.

Addressing the congress, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong asked the union to work as a bridge between people-to-people diplomacy, and Party and State diplomacy in order to create combined strength in the front. Vuong suggested the union expand multilateralisation and diversification, optimise the widespread support of the international community for national construction and defence, focus on maintaining and deepening the friendship between Vietnam and neighbouring countries and others in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), key areas and some socio-economic centres to protect the country’s interests, prestige and image in the world arena. It needs to improve the efficiency of cooperation with foreign non-governmental organisations and the quality of the mobilisation of foreign non-governmental assistance, he said.

The congress elected a 19-member Standing Committee of the union with Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga retaining her position as VUFO President for the new tenure of 2019-2024.