(Vietpeace) The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organization (VUFO) held the fifth National Congress for the 2013 – 2018 tenure at the Vietnam National Convention Center on December 30th, 2013.

 
Attending the Congress were Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan, Member of  the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly; Mr. Pham Binh Minh, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Vu Xuan Hong, VUFO’s President; Mr. Don Tuan Phong, VUFO’s Vice President; former leaders of the Party and State; representatives from foreign embassies, international organizations and VUFO’s member organizations….
 
In the openning speech, Mr. Vu Xuan Hong said: “Directive No. 28-CT/TW of the CPV Central Committee’s Secretariat dated 02/12/2008 has laid a solid foundation for the VUFO’s misions with the basic functions, tasks, nature, organization and motto of operation. In recent five years, implementing directions of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, VUFO’s Standing Committee, Presidium and its members have made many efforts and achieved certain accomplishments. This Congress would summarize the works, draw experiences, but more importantly, determine the orientations and main tasks of VUFO in the coming term”.
 
On behalf of VUFO’s Presidium, Mr. Don Tuan Phong presented the final report of operation in the last period (2008 – 2013) and orientations for the next term (2013 - 2018).
 
Speaking at the Congress, Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan highly appreciated VUFO’s proactivity, flexibility, creativity and efficiency in implementation of the Party’s important resolutions in connection with imlementation of VUFO’s fourth National Congress. He asked VUFO and its members to keep up their performance, to have further contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.
 
Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan believed that VUFO, with the spirit of “Peace, Friendship, Cooperation, Integration” and the core role in people-to-people diplomacy, would continue to uphold the achievements, overcome the limitations, to gain bigger achivements and meet the expectations of the Party, State and People.
 
On behalf of the international delegates at the Congress, Mr.Gunner F. Andersen, Chief Representative of “Save the Children” Office in Vietnam, praised contributions made by VUFO to the country’s achievements in maintaining macroeconomy, enhancing external relations and drawing international supports.
 
He affirmed that the community of international non-governmental organisations and friends  will continue providing more effective supports to Vietnam’s efforts in poverty reduction and sustainable development.
 
The Congress elected a new 147 - member Presidium, a 23 - member Standing Committee. Mr. Vu Xuan Hong was re-elected VUFO’s President; Mr. Don Tuan Phong was elected VUFO’s Vice President cum Secretary General and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Van was elected Vice President for the 2013-2018 term.
 
On behalf of the new Standing Committee, Mr. Vu Xuan Hong expressed sincere thanks to the deep and comprehensive directions  of the leaders of  the Party, State, and Fatherland Front as well as comments of the delegates. He affirmed that VUFO will do its best to complete the tasks in the new term, to raise its operation to a new height and make bigger contributions to Vietnam’s diplomacy and national development./.
 
Thu Hang