14th National Party Congress: Spreading the spirit of proactivity, responsibility and deep integration of Vietnam

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland. (Source: Vietnam Mission in Geneva)

This is the assessment of Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international organizations in Geneva (Switzerland) in an interview with The World & Vietnam Report ahead of the 14th Party Congress.

In the joyful and excited atmosphere before the country's major event – the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, could the Ambassador share your feelings?

Each National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is always the most significant political event of the country.

Looking back at the 13 past Congresses, it is evident that each Congress is not just a temporal milestone but indeed major turning points in Vietnam's development history, where our Party has made strategic decisions guiding the entire term and the country's longer development paths. Some important milestones can be highlighted, such as the 6th Congress, which initiated comprehensive Renovation; the 7th Congress, which adopted the Platform for national construction during the transition to socialism, expanded foreign relations, and broke the siege and embargo.

The 10th Congress marked a step of deep international integration, actively involving Vietnam in regional and global institutions. The 12th Congress stood out with a focus on Party building and rectification; the 13th Congress emphasized the aspiration for a strong and prosperous nation, setting a vision for Vietnam to become a developed, high-income country by 2045.

The 14th National Party Congress, with the theme "Under the glorious flag of the Party, unite and determine to successfully achieve the country's development goals by 2030; build a strategy of autonomy, self-reliance, flexibility, and confidence to rise strongly in the era of national development for peace, independence, democracy, prosperity, progress, happiness, and steadfastly advance towards socialism" will open a new development phase, where the need for acceleration and breakthrough is more clearly defined, while further emphasizing ensuring social welfare, improving people's quality of life, and comprehensive human development.

In the atmosphere before the Congress, one can clearly feel the widespread interest of the entire society, accompanied by trust. This trust is nurtured by the concrete results that our Party has led the political system and the entire country to achieve in recent times, especially the issuance and synchronous implementation of breakthrough resolutions that have brought the country into a new development era.

These are strategic resolutions with far-reaching impacts, not only guiding development in all aspects of the economy, international integration, science and technology, education and training, cultur,e but also placing humans at the center, while creating institutional foundations and new motivation for rapid, sustainable, and inclusive growth.

More importantly, these resolutions are gradually being concretized through action programs and policies implemented in practice, creating significant changes and reinforcing the trust of officials, Party members, and the people in the Party's leadership, as well as in the direction and future development of the country.

Alongside this is the pride in Vietnam – a Vietnam that maintains stability and continues to develop amidst regional and global fluctuations with many challenges. In all fields, from politics, economy to security, foreign affairs, and international cooperation, Vietnam has achieved significant accomplishments, elevating the country, strengthening its internal strength, and enhancing its position and international reputation.

Therefore, I, like all officials, Party members, and the people, fully trust that the Congress will continue to make correct strategic policies and decisions, opening new development spaces for the country, shaping the development vision to 2030, 2045, on the solid foundation of trust in the Party's leadership and the path that Vietnam has steadfastly chosen.

The Vietnamese delegation at the session approving two Resolutions proposed and drafted by Vietnam, July 8, 2025. (Source: Vietnam Mission in Geneva)

Many foreign experts and scholars share the assessment that, under the leadership of the Communist Party, Vietnam has asserted its increasingly high position on the international stage, especially in multilateral forums. Could the Ambassador elaborate on this assessment and relate it to the marks and achievements Vietnam has made in multilateral forums and international organizations recently?

This assessment is entirely justified. It is the direct result of the Party's correct foreign policy, consistent with the spirit of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development, continuously supplemented and perfected to suit the country's new development phase.

In recent times, our Party and State have issued many important directives to elevate the role of multilateral diplomacy, notably the Politburo's Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on enhancing international integration effectiveness by 2030.

This resolution emphasizes the requirement for Vietnam to proactively, actively, and improve the quality of participation in multilateral mechanisms, thereby making practical contributions to global peace and development while directly serving the cause of national construction and defense. This is also the concretization of the Party's strategic vision on the increasingly important role of foreign affairs, including multilateral diplomacy, in the overall national strength.

As the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong once affirmed and was recorded in the 13th Congress Document, "Our country has never had the stature, potential, position, and international prestige as it does today."

The two elements of "stature and potential" accumulated persistently over many years have created a solid foundation for Vietnam to gradually enhance its "position and prestige" on the international stage. This is the comprehensive result of the efforts of the entire Party, people, and army, in which multilateral foreign affairs play a very important role.

In fact, Vietnam has increasingly made its mark at major international forums and organizations. In the field of security-politics, Vietnam has twice served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, actively and responsibly contributing to addressing regional and global peace and security issues; actively participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations; and recently being trusted to chair the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 2026 – one of the most challenging and sensitive forums in the United Nations system.

In the field of democracy and human rights, Vietnam has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council three times. Most recently, Vietnam was elected as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term after just completing the 2023-2025 term with the highest votes in the electoral region.

At the Human Rights Council, Vietnam promotes dialogue, cooperation, and experience sharing, actively contributing to promoting human rights associated with the right to development, gender equality, protecting vulnerable groups, and ensuring social welfare. This constructive approach helps Vietnam be perceived as a reliable dialogue partner, contributing to narrowing differences and enhancing consensus among groups of countries.

In terms of economy, trade, and development, Vietnam has transformed significantly, from a country once under siege and embargo to a deeply integrated economy, participating in and effectively implementing new-generation free trade agreements; while actively contributing to global efforts on climate change response, energy transition, health, and sustainable development. These commitments and specific actions continue to reinforce the image of a proactive, responsible, and reliable Vietnam in the international community.

Overall, Vietnam's increasingly deep, substantive, and responsible participation in multilateral mechanisms has not only better protected national interests but also contributed positively to solving global issues. This is a crucial foundation for Vietnam to continue enhancing its international position and reputation in the new development phase under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Seminar honouring President Ho Chi Minh organized by the Vietnam Mission in Geneva on December 12, 2025. (Source: Vietnam Mission in Geneva)

In the enthusiastic atmosphere welcoming the 14th National Party Congress, what notable activities and highlights has the Vietnam Mission in Geneva achieved recently, Ambassador?

In 2025, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam in Geneva has made comprehensive and synchronized efforts in foreign affairs, closely following the Party and State's foreign policy, especially the spirit of the Politburo's Resolution 59 on enhancing multilateral diplomacy and international integration in the new situation.

Firstly, Vietnam has participated substantively and extensively in forums, ensuring positive presence, promoting the country's interests as well as common concerns of the international community. Nearly 50 delegations from Vietnam have attended multilateral activities in Geneva, notably the Prime Minister's delegation attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos and the National Assembly Chair's delegation attending the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. This demonstrates Vietnam's high commitment to multilateralism, as well as its increasingly active and proactive role in international organizations. Concurrently, the Mission has coordinated with domestic ministries and sectors to participate in and monitor over 3,000 meetings, consultations, and conferences at more than 30 different international organizations, covering security – politics, human rights, disarmament, economy – development, health, labor, science – technology, environment, etc.

At the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the final year of the 2023–2025 term and preparing for the 2026–2028 term, Vietnam continues to leave significant marks. The Mission has coordinated with domestic agencies to fully participate in sessions; initiated and participated in 7 human rights initiatives; delivered nearly 150 speeches at official sessions; participated in 49 joint statements with regional and inter-regional groups; voted on 96 resolutions and decisions; and promptly handled and responded to 15 communications, contributing to defending Vietnam's viewpoints, policies, and image in an objective, balanced, and constructive manner.

In the field of economy, trade, and development, the Mission has actively participated in discussions at WTO, UNCTAD, and related mechanisms. Notably, Vietnam has become one of 111 countries to officially bring the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement package 1 into effect; participated in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA); and made substantive contributions to the negotiation and adoption of the UNCTAD XVI outcome document, where many of Vietnam's proposals were accepted and fully reflected in the final document.

Secondly, in the context of rapidly evolving and complex global political and economic situations, the Mission has focused on closely monitoring, analyzing, and assessing major trends, emerging issues, and multidimensional impacts on Vietnam, thereby providing timely and in-depth advisory information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and domestic agencies. To effectively serve this work, the Mission maintains and expands regular meetings and contacts with leaders and senior officials of many international organizations and partners in Geneva, especially in the fields of economy, finance, science – technology, and sustainable development; and organizes seminars and thematic workshops to exchange and clarify issues of Vietnam's interest, contributing to enhancing the quality of research, forecasting, and advisory work, providing practical support for the formulation and implementation of foreign policy and international integration.

Thirdly, development-serving diplomacy continues to be strengthened with specific results. The Mission has connected and arranged working activities between high-level Vietnamese leaders and major financial institutions and international organizations, as well as visits to Vietnam by leaders of these organizations, including visits by the Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Additionally, the Mission organized seminars and workshops on diverse topics such as Building and Operating International Financial Centers, Green Finance and Sustainable Agriculture,and US Countervailing Duties, with the participation of many reputable experts from WEF, WTO, UNCTAD, associations, and businesses in Switzerland.

These activities have also contributed to effectively and substantively connecting Vietnamese agencies, localities, and businesses with international organizations and partners in the area. Another specific result is the Mission's successful advocacy for a UNCTAD technical assistance project in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on "Developing a Strategy for Sustainable Product Export and Enhancing Traceability for Transitioning to a Green, Sustainable, and Inclusive Economy" worth USD 275,000. Through the Mission's active advocacy, international organizations headquartered in Geneva such as WHO, IFRC, WMO, OCHA have also provided timely and effective support to help Vietnam overcome the consequences of the heavy rains and floods at the end of 2025.

Fourthly, the Mission continues to effectively implement cultural diplomacy, external information, and consular and community work; organizing and participating in many activities promoting culture and the country's image, while integrating this content into foreign activities such as National Day September 2, Asian Festival, UN Bazaar. Notably, in 2025, the Mission organized 2 photo exhibitions on the country, people, culture, and achievements in democracy, human rights, and religion in Vietnam; organized a Seminar Honoring President Ho Chi Minh with the enthusiastic participation of the Vietnamese community in the area. The relationship between the Mission and the community is increasingly close and cohesive. The people are interested and actively respond to activities organized by the Mission. In response to the severe consequences of the heavy rains and floods at the end of 2025, the Vietnamese community in Geneva and neighboring cantons, although not large in number, also contributed more than USD 10,000 to support compatriots in the country affected by natural disasters.

It can be affirmed that, with large-scale, high-intensity, and increasingly substantive activities, the activities of the Vietnam Mission in Geneva in 2025 have not only directly contributed to protecting and promoting national interests but also represent specific, practical contributions to welcoming the 14th National Congress of the Party, reflecting Vietnam's proactive, responsible, and deeply integrated spirit on the international stage.

Photo exhibition 'Vietnam – Identity, Humanity, and Integration' in Geneva, Switzerland, July 1, 2025. (Source: Vietnam Mission in Geneva)

As one of the Heads of the Vietnamese Representative Missions attending the 14th National Party Congress in the Spring of Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, could the Ambassador share his feelings?

First of all, for me, it is an honour and pride to be one of 1,588 delegates, representing over 5.6 million Party members nationwide, attending the most important political event of the country, where our Party discusses and decides on strategic issues with long-term vision for Vietnam's future development. Especially, as one of the 15 Heads of Vietnamese Representative Missions abroad attending the Congress, I deeply understand that this is not only a personal honour but also reflects the recognition of the important role of the Geneva area, of multilateral diplomacy in particular, and of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in general in the cause of foreign affairs, international integration, and enhancing the country's position. It is even more meaningful as the 14th Congress takes place in the context of our country undergoing a strong transformation, preparing to enter a new development era, making the direct participation in such a historic event a profound mark in my work process.

Along with the honour is a great responsibility. This responsibility is firstly to seriously participate in the Congress's contents; contribute intellect and practical experience from foreign affairs work, especially multilateral diplomacy, to the process of discussing, formulating the Party and State's foreign policy, strategy, and policy on foreign affairs and international integration in the new term. At the same time, as the Head of the Vietnamese Representative Mission abroad, I am always aware that attending the Congress is also associated with the responsibility of conveying and spreading the spirit and content of the 14th National Congress Resolutions to international partners, friends, the team of officials, Party members, and the Vietnamese community in the area; concretizing the Party's strategic orientations into practical, effective actions in implementing the Mission's tasks.

I believe that the 14th National Party Congress will be a great success, continuing to affirm the strength of the great national unity bloc, the wisdom, and courage of our Party in leading the country. On that foundation, along with the consensus and efforts of the entire Party, people, and army, the support and cooperation of international friends, Vietnam will continue to enhance its position and reputation on the international stage, achieving even greater achievements in the era of rapid and sustainable development, towards the goal of building a prosperous and happy country.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!

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