Service Department for Diplomatic Corps: 62 years of preservation and innovation for professional and modern diplomatic service
WVR - On the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of its establishment (June 10, 1964 - June 10, 2026), Mr. Ngo Phuong Nghi, Director General of the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps, shares with The World & Vietnam Report about the elements that have shaped the unit's tradition, its outstanding achievements in the process of innovation, and its development orientation for the upcoming period.
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Maintaining tradition amidst many changes
According to Director General Ngo Phuong Nghi, throughout more than six decades of formation and development, the most crucial factor that has helped theService Department for Diplomatic Corps maintain and promote its tradition of serving foreign affairs is the close attention and guidance from the Party Committee and the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through different periods.
Additionally, the department's leadership generations have always focused on building a united and strong collective, with a conscious effort to fulfill assigned tasks excellently. “The department has accurately identified key tasks, invested appropriately and focused to achieve optimal efficiency from self-accumulated resources, without using state budget funds,” he emphasized.
During the organizational restructuring process, the department has reviewed its apparatus three times since 2014, reducing two departmental units, merging several team-level units, and streamlining more than 40% of its workforce, from over 800 people in 2010 to about 460 people by 2025.
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| Director General of the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps Ngo Phuong Nghi. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
Promoting digital transformation, enhancing management efficiency
The Department is also one of the pioneering units in applying technology and digital transformation in management work. In 2022, the unit completed the digitization of all financial operations and applied digital signatures in bidding, ensuring that 100% of public procurement and construction packages were conducted online a year ahead of the government's schedule.
Currently, the department continues to implement packages to upgrade network infrastructure and databases to facilitate professional work on a digital platform for its units.
Simultaneously, the department strictly maintains labor discipline, considering it an important criterion in annual emulation evaluations. Training and fostering staff are also prioritized to build a more professional, capable, and adaptable workforce to meet new demands.
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| Training and fostering staff are also prioritized to build a more professional, capable, and adaptable workforce to meet new demands. (Photo: Service Department for Diplomatic Corps) |
Numerous outstanding achievements in diplomatic service
Inheriting the achievements of previous generations, the Department in recent years has achieved numerous outstanding results in key areas.
Firstly, effective management, preservation, and exploitation of the diplomatic housing fund. To date, the department has leased about 100 villas to diplomatic missions, reaching over 81% of the total villas under management. Many Grade I villas built before 1954 are well-preserved and highly appreciated by the Hanoi People's Committee, the Ministry of Construction, and the Vietnam Association of Architects.
Secondly, ensuring security and safety for diplomatic missions. The Department is highly regarded for its management of Vietnamese labor working for foreign agencies and organizations and maintains regular coordination mechanisms with related units in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to ensure consistency in recruitment and labor management.
Thirdly, effective management of international press activities. Annually, the Department guides about 800 visits by non-resident foreign journalists and an average of 30 delegations accompanying heads of state on high-level visits to Vietnam, contributing to ensuring security, safety, and facilitating smooth operations.
Fourthly, maintaining service growth and infrastructure investment. The Department's service provision activities have exceeded plans for many years, contributing positively to the state budget and improving the lives of staff and workers. The unit also uses career revenue to invest in and renovate facilities, including the commissioning of the high-end office building at 63-71 Lang Ha and the Van Phuc 4 Diplomatic Compound in 2020.
With these achievements, the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps has been awarded numerous prestigious honors such as the Second-Class Labor Order (2004), the First-Class Labor Order (2014), and the First-Class Labor Order for the second time (2024), along with many emulation flags and commendations from the government and various ministries and sectors.
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| The Department of Diplomatic Service receives the First-Class Labor Order in 2024. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
"Bridge" protecting the rights of Vietnamese workers
According to Mr. Ngo Phuong Nghi, managing Vietnamese workers employed by foreign agencies and organizations is of special importance. The Department is not only a management agency but also a "bridge" between workers and related ministries and sectors, helping to ensure their rights are implemented according to Vietnamese law.
Workers are also regularly involved in training programs and updates on new regulations regarding their rights and obligations when working for foreign organizations, thereby minimizing errors and arising disputes. Additionally, this work contributes to ensuring security and safety for diplomatic missions and foreign organizations operating in Vietnam.
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| The Service Department for Diplomatic Corps organizes the Summary Ceremony of Diplomatic Labour Management 2025. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Development orientation: Innovation for sustainable growth
Entering a new development phase, the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps has set the motto "Innovation for Development" with a long-term vision. The unit will continue to study international experiences to develop a comprehensive plan, aiming to renovate and upgrade the diplomatic compound infrastructure in a synchronized and modern manner.
The focus in the coming time is to improve the quality of management services for real estate leasing, manage Vietnamese labor working for foreign organizations, ensure security and safety for diplomatic missions, and manage the activities of foreign journalist delegations.
The Department will also continue to invest in technology infrastructure, promote digital transformation, ensure network information security, and train a more professional, capable staff, contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of the country's foreign affairs activities.
“The Department will not stop and be satisfied with what it currently has but will continue to innovate thinking, improve management methods, and build a more modern and professional team,” Director General Ngo Phuong Nghi affirmed.
