On December 4, the Committee for Foreign Non-governmental Organization Affairs (COMINGO) and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) co-organized the 5th International Conference on Cooperation between Vietnam and Foreign Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), themed “Partners for Prosperous and Sustainable Development.”

The 5th International Conference was convened to evaluate the results of cooperation between Vietnam and INGOs during the 2019 - 2025 period. It aimed to clarify the impacts.

and contributions of INGO programs and projects to Vietnam's socio-economic development while sharing experiences and effective cooperation models among ministries, sectors, localities, and foreign organizations.

Additionally, the conference sought to summarize practical lessons in the management and utilization of foreign non-governmental aid, thereby proposing directions and solutions to enhance the efficiency of future cooperation.

As of November 30, 2025, there are 379 foreign NGOs regularly operating in Vietnam, with total aid value reaching nearly USD 1.14 billion in the 2020 - 2024 period. Projects span the entire country, focusing on essential sectors such as healthcare, socio-economic development, addressing social issues, education and training, natural resources and the environment, organizational capacity building, and judicial support.

These achievements are attributed to Vietnam's facilitating policies, notably the National Program on Strengthening Cooperation and Mobilizing Foreign Non-governmental Aid for the 2019 - 2025 period. Coordination between Vietnam and INGOs has become increasingly transparent and effective, ranging from needs assessment and project formulation to supervision.

Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son acknowledged the enduring contributions of foreign NGOs to Vietnam over the past decades, particularly in healthcare, education, poverty reduction, community development, climate change response, disaster mitigation, protection of vulnerable groups, gender equality promotion, and rural development.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that foreign NGOs have played a pivotal role in introducing knowledge, technology, governance initiatives, and international expertise to Vietnam. “Cooperation between Vietnam and foreign non-governmental organizations is therefore not merely supplementary but constitutes an integral part of the national development strategy”, he emphasized.

Looking ahead, Vietnam hopes that foreign NGOs will continue to partner with the country in priority areas, including human development, social security, climate change response, digital transformation, innovation, gender equality, and sustainable community development. The Government pledges to create favorable conditions for these organizations to maximize their value while simultaneously strengthening Vietnam's connections with international expert networks and global initiatives.

Following the opening ceremony, the conference proceeded with two plenary sessions and four thematic seminars focusing on: developing education and high-quality human resources; sustainable poverty reduction and addressing social issues; promoting the green and circular economy; and enhancing cooperation efficiency between Vietnam and foreign NGOs with the participation of the business sector.