Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga: A lifetime of dedication to diplomacy and the nation
WVR - The World and Vietnam Report respectfully introduces an article by Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, with memories and feelings about the excellent female diplomat - Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga.
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| Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga speaks in an interview on the sidelines of the ASEAN Women Leaders' Summit. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
Shock, sorrow, and grief were the shared emotions of friends and colleagues upon hearing the news that Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga had passed away and departed this life for eternity. Although we all understand that life is impermanent, and despite her years of brave battle with a serious illness, I still felt a deep sense of loss and heartbreak at this immense passing.
Our diplomatic service and our country have lost an outstanding female diplomat — intelligent, sharp, insightful, dedicated, with strategic vision and an innovative mindset. She made immense contributions to Vietnam’s foreign affairs and international integration, earning the respect and admiration of colleagues and friends at home and abroad. Though she has left us, for those of us who had the chance to work with her, the memory remains vivid — of someone who devoted her entire life to the service of diplomacy and the nation.
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| Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga discusses with delegates at the Vietnam-Australia Forum on enhancing the role and contribution of women in foreign affairs in the digital age, October 3, 2019. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
In every position she held — whether in multilateral or bilateral settings, from her early days as a specialist to her time as a unit leader — she always worked tirelessly, with great energy and passion, constantly full of ideas and initiatives. She was deeply concerned about ensuring the best possible outcomes, always aiming to secure the highest interests of the country, as well as peace, cooperation, and development.
She embodied the qualities of a resilient, steadfast diplomat, always striving for excellence, never accepting superficial or shallow work. She was serious and demanding in her work, yet all of us — her colleagues and staff — deeply respected and cherished her, because she always worked side by side with us, never hesitating to share the load. She was not only a department head, but also a big sister, a “teacher” who paid attention to each colleague’s circumstances, patiently guiding us with meticulous care — from major tasks such as drafting Vietnam’s proposals and initiatives at multilateral forums, to smaller things like making sure we had proper meals when working late at the office.
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| Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga and female diplomats, August 2018. (Photo: Coutersy by the Author) |
I was fortunate to work with her when I was assigned to the Press and Information Department, and she was then Director General of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation. We worked together during the preparation of the ASEM Summit hosted by Vietnam in 2004, as well as several delegations of Vietnamese leaders attending ASEM and APEC forums. I vividly recall one business trip with her, accompanying our delegation to the APEC Summit in Singapore, where she proposed an unprecedented idea — that the press team work directly with her content team to ensure consistency and timely news releases, something never done before on such missions.
What left a deep impression on me was her working style — passionate, committed, always engaging the entire team in thorough discussions, going through every detail of the content word by word. By nearly 3 a.m., once the content work was ready, the press materials were also almost complete. She worked relentlessly, with incredible passion and stamina, and we often asked each other: where did she get such boundless energy?
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| Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga and female diplomats, August 2018. (Photo: Coutersy by the Author) |
For female diplomats like us, she was a mentor and a guide, always dedicated to training and supporting the younger generation. She was deeply committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women, especially in the context of information technology and digital transformation. It was she who proposed the idea of connecting generations of female diplomats to share experiences and support one another’s development, with the goal of having more female Ambassadors, department heads, and leaders. She was one of the founding members of the Network of Female Ambassadors, Heads of Missions abroad, and Leaders of Departments within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (recently renamed the Network of Vietnamese Female Diplomats).
Many diplomats who were directly trained and mentored by her have now grown and taken on important roles such as Ministry leadership, Ambassadors, and department heads. For me personally, she was like a big sister — always caring, offering advice, encouraging and supporting me so I could confidently fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to me.
She was a shining example of someone who could “excel in both work and family.” No matter how busy she was, she always took great care of her family. Whenever we had a chance to meet, she warmly and joyfully shared her experiences in wellness practices and in managing household responsibilities. Before I left for New York to assume the role of Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, she and her husband Pham Binh Minh invited my husband and me to dinner at their home. In their cozy little dining room, she had personally prepared and arranged the dishes with such care and thoughtfulness — it moved us deeply. That memory will stay with me forever.
Ms Nguyet Nga has gone, but she has left a profound legacy in Vietnam’s diplomatic service — a beautiful and enduring image of a female diplomat who continues to inspire generations of Vietnamese diplomats to come.
