A successful tenure

In the 2017-2022 term, despite facing many difficulties and challenges, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, with the spirit of solidarity and determination of the Provincial Union and its member friendship associations, many efforts have been made to overcome difficulties, actively implement the Party's and the province's foreign policies and guidelines and achieved many impressive results.
Outstanding results
In the last term, people-to-people diplomacy were implemented in accordance with the foreign policies and guidelines of the Party and State; coordination and sharing information with departments, branches and localities are  always timely, contributing to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the Congress, linking political – external goals with ensuring security and socio-economic development of the province.
        The Union's activities of peace, solidarity, friendship and people-to-people cooperation have become more and more in-depth, in creative and diversified methods, contributing to the introduction and promotion of the local image, potentials, policies and guidelines of the Party, State and the Province to foreign partners, enhancing tourism promotion, attracting investment, international cooperation in many fields and stabilizing social security.
The Union has organized 10 delegations of officials and member friendship associations to exchange experiences in other provinces and cities. Thereby, the capacity of cadres engaged in people-to-people diplomacy has been raised step by step to meet the requirements of tasks.
In particular, despite being the youngest province in the Mekong Delta, Hau Giang has pioneered cooperation with localities in the country and abroad, helping people access achievements from the industrial revolution 4.0 to bring agricultural products to the world. Because "If you want to go far, go together".
In the country, the province has connected with Can Tho city, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Ho Chi Minh city, Lam Dong to share infrastructure system, employee training, raw materials to adapt to climate change and develop tourism.
Hau Giang has reached out to expand cooperation and investment with the most dynamic economies in the world such as Japan, Korea, and India with many memorandums of understanding and cooperation. The development goals are in the direction of green agriculture and industry to reduce environmental impact.
At the "Meeting Hau Giang - Korea" taking place on August 19, 2020, on behalf of the Delegation, Mr. Park Noh Wan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam, assessed that in the coming time, Korean investment in the Mekong Delta will be very exciting. The relationship between Korea and the Mekong Delta is progressing and the Korean  are very interested in cooperation in this area.
 “I will strengthen the relationship and cooperation between Korea and the Mekong Delta region, including Hau Giang province, promote investment activities and strengthen the exchange relationship between the localities and Korea. I think that it is necessary to regularly encourage exchanges and cooperation with localities to develop", said Mr. Park Noh Wan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam.
Currently, the Union has cooperation relationships with 34 NGOs. In the past 5 years, the Union has worked with 210 delegations, with a total of 1,475 people coming to survey and implement programs and projects. In which, there are 346 foreigners. As a result, 77 programs and projects has implemeted, with a total aid value of over 87,5 billion VND, much higher than in the 2012-2017 term (64 programs and projects with a total campaign value of VND 67.4 billion VND). In general, programs and projects serve economic and social development goals and ensure political security.
Ms. Tieu Jenny Kim Oanh, Project Coordinator, said: “VESAF, NFP (USA) especially built many bridges, houses, rural roads for Hau Giang province. In the past time, we have received great support and help from the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations, that's why our projects in the province are implemented quickly following the legal procedures. Therefore, in the future, we will accompany and support the province with many more projects, helping people have a better life."
Meanwhile, Mr. Jan Schroder, Director of the Norwegian Mission Alliance in Vietnam, said: “The projects that we carried out in Hau Giang recently have had many positive results. I hope, with strong cooperation, it is possible to carry out more effective activities and plans for the upcoming new phase.”
In order to expand relations with NGOs, the Union has coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to propose the Provincial People's to organize the Conference to promote FNGOs aid to Hau Giang province in 2018. There are 08 NGOs signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation agreements with a total value of nearly 30 billion VND.
At this conference, the delegates discussed and suggested Hau Giang province develop a program to promote foreign NGOs in the province, paying special attention to priority areas, identifying the focal point, support NGOs in administrative procedures, paying attention to sharing of information about local needs in various fields, strengthening the inspection and supervision of aid sources effectively...
Mr. Le Minh Tuan, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations, said: "In order to have more NGOs participate in investment and projects for the province, over the past time, we always do well at all stages of administrative procedures when receiving the project in accordance with the process and the law. Especially for non-governmental projects implementing locally, there is always the attention and coordination of the government with the Union of Friendship Organizations and relevant departments and agencies, from which the programs are implemented to make sure on schedule and quality, actively contributing to the social welfare work of the province. And thanks to such close coordination, we always create trust in sponsors so that more and more foreign NGOs have registered to expand their operation in Hau Giang.”
External information and propaganda is always maintained and promoted through social greetings, friendship exchanges, meetings, meetings with NGOs, seminars, trainings, etc. Thereby, the Union introduced the image, country and people of Vietnam and promote and introduce the advantages and potentials of the province, the desire for peace, friendship and cooperation of the people of Hau Giang province with international friends.
The Union has built and maintained the Union's website in 02 languages ​​(Vietnamese - English) with the number of readers accessing 484,510 times; posted 514 Vietnamese news, 74 English news and exploited Hau Giang overseas Vietnamese portal. From the end of 2020 until now, The Union has published 4-editions of "Hau Giang Friendship" newsletter in 02 languages ​​(Vietnamese - English), of which the 1st in 2020 and the 3^rd in 2022 newsletters sent to participate in the publication voting contest and both won consolation prizes and the 4th newsletter will be published to welcome the 3rd Congress of the Haugiang Union of Friendship Organizations, term 2022 - 2027.
During the tenure, although there were still many difficulties of changes in personnel of the Union Executive Board; especially the key personnel of the Union's standing agency and the member associations, but the Union has promptly arranged and supplemented it stably. Personnel management, education and training for staff are concerned.
Member Associations have innovated contents and modes of operation, closely following the guidelines of the Party, the laws and policies of State on people-to-people diplomacy and the Provincial Union's Guidelines on activities of the member friendship associations. Seven member Associations all held the congress successfully in terms of content and personnel agreed upon by the Provincial Union.
          Mr. Tran Van Tho, Former Chairman of Hau Giang Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations, assessed: "Through those activities, we can see in the last term, although there are still many difficulties, the Union and its member associations have always made great efforts to complete the tasks of people-to-people diplomacy. Non-stop innovation and flexible activities of international solidarity, friendship exchanges, cultural exchanges, promotion of people-to-people diplomacy in the direction of expanding and diversifying relations partnerships and enhanced mutual understanding are promoted. Peace activities, solidarity and friendship, promotion of non-governmental aid mobilization have actively and effectively contributed to the foreign policy and socio-economic development of the province.
Facing with the requirements and tasks of people-to-people diplomacy in the new period, the Union of Friendship Organizations has been identified as a socio-political organization in charge of people-to-people diplomacy in the fields of peace, solidarity and friendship, the focal point in mobilizing foreign non-governmental aid, actively contributing to the Party's foreign affairs and State diplomacy in the province.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nhan, Chairman of the Hau Giang Province Union of Friendship Organizations, shares the direction of activities in the coming time: "First, actively research, actively take advantage of leadership by the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations to have mechanisms and policies in implementing people-to-people diplomacy. Secondly, the executive committee must always promote and inherit existing relationships and conditions, following the tasks and operational regulations. Organizational structure and cadres, especially key cadres must be concerned as important factors for the Union's activities. Third, internal solidarity and determination, dynamism, creativity, and the ability to mobilize resources in people-to-people diplomacy. Fourth, in the Union's activities, it is necessary to have good coordination with departments, branches, socio-political organizations and businesses; NGOs and individuals in order to enhance the role of the Union and its member associations in people-to-people diplomacy.
In order to successfully complete the task in the coming time, the Provincial People's Committee suggested that the Union should organize the implementation of Directive No. 04-CT/TW of the Politburo "on improving the quality and efficiency of people-to-people diplomacy in the new situation", Directive 38 - CT/TW dated September 19, 2019 of the Secretariat "on continuing to innovate and improve the quality and performance of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations in a new situation", Resolution of the VI Congress of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and documents related to people-to-people diplomacy. Continuing to step up the implementation of FNG aid mobilization for socio-economic development. Promoting external information, promoting the country and people of Vietnam, the province's potentials to partners... Applying of information technology in activities.
Ms. Ho Thu Anh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, emphasized: "For the comrades and members of the Executive Committee of the Hau Giang Province Friendship Union in the new term, it is necessary to make more efforts to strengthen the organization in terms of contents and modes of operation which are diverse, creative and flexible. Enhancing socialization in operation of the member associations. Taking care of planning and training qualified cadres who have moral qualities, political stability, foreign language skills for people-to-people diplomacy, in order to improve advisory capacity to the Provincial Party Committee - Provincial People's Committee in foreign activities, and foreign non-governmental aid mobilization.
For the term 2022 - 2027, the Union and its member associations continue to promote the core role in people-to-people diplomacy under the motto "Active, flexible, creative and effective" on the basis of strengthen the solidarity, friendship and cooperation between the people of Hau Giang and the people of other countries. Enlist the broad consensus and support of international friends; focus on mobilizing resources to economic and social development and contribute effectively to the general foreign policy of the province.