Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga - A source of inspiration beyond Vietnam

Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga and Mr. Eduardo Pedrosa with Vietnamese colleagues. (Photo: APEC 2017 Secretariat)

Mr. Pedrosa happened to be in Vietnam when he received the deeply saddening news of Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga’s passing. Just days earlier, he had met with some friends at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss Vietnam’s preparations to host APEC in 2027. The sudden loss came as a profound shock, especially as his memories of Ambassador Nga and her contributions to APEC and Vietnam’s engagement in the forum remained vivid and intact.

Among his most cherished recollections was a warm outdoor lunch graciously arranged by Ambassador Nga. She took the time to personally introduce various traditional Vietnamese dishes, always attentive to whether he found them to his liking. More than a gesture of hospitality, she made him - a foreigner - feel as though he truly belonged, not as an outsider, but as a part of the team. It was this rare gift of connection, this deep sense of care and inclusion, that made Ambassador Nga so special. She had an extraordinary ability to make others feel valued and welcomed.

Reflecting on the years of collaboration - especially during Vietnam’s hosting of APEC in 2017 - Mr. Pedrosa witnessed firsthand Ambassador Nga’s pivotal role in initiating dialogue processes and shaping the strategic vision for APEC cooperation. Few may know that it was she who spearheaded and successfully promoted the idea of the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on APEC Toward 2020 and Beyond - a landmark initiative that laid the groundwork for the eventual formation of the APEC Vision Group.

As Secretary-General of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) at the time, Mr. Pedrosa worked closely with Ambassador Nga to organize and guide these important discussions. “When I heard of her passing, I revisited the APEC archives and re-read our exchanges. Once again, I was struck by her remarkable foresight,” he shared. “The issues she raised back then - global order shifts, technological transformation, and the evolving geoeconomic landscape - remain just as relevant, if not more pressing, today”.

One question keeps coming back to Mr. Pedrosa: If she were here now, what would Ambassador Nga ask us? For she was always one to look ahead, to pose the right questions at critical junctures - questions that inspired action and opened new ways of thinking.

Mr. Eduardo Pedrosa attended the seminar "Strengthening Action for a Common APEC Vision" held in Hanoi, December 2015. (Photo: APEC 2017 Secretariat)

Mr. Pedrosa fondly recalled that in 2017, when APEC leaders agreed to establish the APEC Vision Group to chart the forum’s post-2020 direction, Ambassador Nga was a driving force behind its creation. As Vice Chair from the outset, she displayed extraordinary leadership - guiding discussions, shaping objectives, and laying out long-term orientations for APEC’s future.

He noted that without Ambassador Nga’s dedication and conviction, the Vision Group might never have come into being. At the time, differing views within APEC made consensus elusive. Yet, through her perseverance and diplomacy, she bridged divides and cultivated a spirit of unity.

As Vietnam now prepares to host APEC once again in 2027 - exactly a decade after its successful chairmanship in 2017 - Mr. Pedrosa sees this not only as a new milestone for Vietnam but also as an opportunity to carry forward the ideas and legacy that Ambassador Nga so passionately nurtured.

In bidding farewell to his esteemed friend and colleague, Mr. Pedrosa reflected, “We will always remember her strength, passion, and intellect. I hope that wherever she is now, she may find peace in knowing that her legacy lives on - not only in Vietnam but far beyond. We owe her a debt that perhaps cannot be fully repaid, but we shall strive to live and work by the high standards she set for us all”.

Obituary: Ambassador Nguyen Thi Nguyet Nga passes away Ambassador Nguyen Thi Nguyet Nga passes away.

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