Service Department for Diplomatic Corps: Affirming leading role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' public service unit
WVR - In talking with the World and Vietnam Report, Director General of the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps (SDDC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ngo Phuong Nghi reviewed the unit's outstanding activities over the past year and expressed expectations for the contributions of the staff and employees in the coming time.
Latest
 |
| The Service Department for Diplomatic Corps organized a scientific workshop on "Legal Basis, Operational Regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Specialized Construction Investment Project Management Board for Domestic, Overseas Projects and International Bidding Packages" on October 15. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Could you share the notable achievements that the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps (SDDC) has accomplished over the past year?
|
2025 has been a remarkable year for the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps. With the continuous attention of the Ministry's leadership and effective coordination from various units within the Ministry and functional units of central and local ministries, the leadership of the Department has guided the entire unit to overcome numerous challenges and achieve significant results.
The political tasks and financial obligations assigned by the State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been excellently fulfilled by the Department, notably in four key areas: managing, leasing, and renovating housing for diplomatic missions and international organizations in Hanoi; managing Vietnamese labour working for diplomatic missions and international organizations, ensuring security and safety; managing and guiding non-resident foreign journalists; and providing services to diplomatic missions and international organizations in Hanoi.
Additionally, the SDDC has been highly praised for its active and successful support of major national events in 2025, such as the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–April 30, 2025); the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2, 1945–September 2, 2025); the Signing Ceremony of the Hanoi Convention (the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime); the 80-Year Exhibition - National Achievements, and the upcoming 14th Party Congress.
A notable highlight is the success of the 2025 International Culinary Culture Festival, featuring 128 booths from 50 embassies, international organizations, businesses, and localities nationwide. The event carried profound humanitarian significance by donating all proceeds to support compatriots in overcoming natural disasters.
Activities of gratitude, caring for and supporting Vietnamese heroic mothers have always been closely monitored by the leadership and trade union of the DDS, reflecting a spirit of humanity and gratitude to previous generations who contributed significantly to the country's protection and development.
Remarkably, there has been a significant improvement in the income of the DDS staff and employees. Through efforts to streamline and appropriately adjust in accordance with State regulations and laws, the living standards of staff and employees at the SDDC have improved in recent years and are expected to further improve in the future.
 |
| Journalists from domestic and international media working at the press center of the Signing Ceremony of the Hanoi Convention, National Convention Centre. (Photo: Hoang Giap) |
What innovations or solutions has the DDS implemented to enhance service quality and meet the increasingly diverse needs of foreign representative agencies in Vietnam?
We always keep in mind that the SDDC is a leading public service unit in providing services and support to foreign representative agencies, international organizations, and foreign journalists in Vietnam. Therefore, we regularly research, consult, and propose solutions to improve service quality.
In recent years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has actively reorganized its organizational structure, and the SDDC is no exception. The leadership of the SDDC prioritizes streamlining the organizational structure and personnel.
In 2025, the SDDC completed the consolidation of functions, tasks, organizational structure, and personnel of its units, aiming for gradual streamlining and reducing focal points in line with the long-term development orientation of the DDS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State's policy, enhancing the effectiveness and speed of professional activities and coordination among units within the Department.
Another important measure is our focus on contributing to, amending, and perfecting legal frameworks, laws, decrees, circulars, etc., related to the unit's activities. Many difficulties have been resolved through active research of legal documents, identifying key issues to be addressed, and proposing solutions to implement legal regulations while timely developing policies to bring direct benefits to the Department, ensuring revenue and stabilizing the lives of officials and employees.
Furthermore, specialized departments have researched and advised the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps leadership to promptly issue support and encouragement policies (both spiritually and materially); ensuring that the staff and employees are dedicated and committed to fulfilling their assigned tasks, thereby contributing to the overall achievements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Digital transformation and adjustments in leadership, coordination, and collaboration are also regularly prioritized and enhanced to adapt to new situations. We have simultaneously utilized and applied the document management systems of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the SDDC, established hotlines to receive feedback and customer needs, and regularly interacted with diplomatic missions, international organizations, and foreign journalists.
 |
| The International Culinary Festival 2025 organized by the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps in collaboration with units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, promptly spread the spirit of sharing among domestic and international friends, supporting flood-affected compatriots. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
What are the advantages and challenges that the SDDC has to address?
The Department consistently receives close guidance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' leadership and effective coordination from units within and outside the Ministry, which is the first advantage.
Additionally, the leadership capacity, unity of the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps leadership team, the working capacity of the staff and employees, and the more than 60-year tradition of the DDS are the main advantages contributing to the Department's success today.
We also adapt and adjust to the rapid changes in the entire political system, actively and proactively contributing to and adjusting legal documents to suit new situations, and have established a relatively solid foundation in digital infrastructure, work management systems, and work assignment and processing procedures. Moreover, we are training and developing a relatively high-quality, proactive successor workforce.
However, challenges remain in handling assigned tasks, related to regulatory frameworks, legal documents; mechanisms for representative agencies to lease and establish headquarters in Vietnam; competition from other service types, necessitating adjustments and improvements in the SDDC's service quality.
 |
| The Service Department for Diplomatic Corps organized a program connecting units within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, extermal relations agencies, and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam within the framework of the International Culinary Culture Festival 2025, on November 22. (Photo: Xuan Son) |
What are the priorities and key plans for the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps in 2026?
The top priority for the SDDC remains to continue maintaining service quality, serving diplomatic missions, international organizations, and foreign journalists, excellently fulfilling the political tasks assigned by the Ministry's leadership, while maintaining and enhancing the material and spiritual life of the SDDC staff and employees.
In 2026, the Department will continue to require state policy support to enhance operational efficiency. Along with that, the SDDC will strengthen legal work, encourage units to self-train on-site, promote the role of experience transmission between generations, and proactively research documents to apply them to work. We focus on developing a young workforce of staff and employees to create a source of quality personnel for the future.
Aiming for reform, improving the efficiency of the organizational apparatus, and promoting digitalization in all aspects of work, the SDDC is determined and strives to ensure a streamlined, productive, and efficient organization.
In the coming time, the Service Department for Diplomatic Corps will continue to strive and unite, promoting the leadership role of the DDS leadership team along with the dedication of the staff and employees, maintaining the motto of being the leading public service unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a reliable support point for diplomatic missions, international organizations, and foreign journalists.
