Comrade Nguyen Van Thong was re-elected as President of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations, term V.

On the afternoon of May 14, the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations solemnly held the 5th Congress of Delegates for the 2019-2024 term with the theme "Solidarity, democracy, innovation, creativity, and efficiency".

Attending the congress, on behalf of the Central Committee, there was comrade Nguyen Phuong Nga - Secretary of the Party Delegation, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations. Also attending were representatives of the Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh Unions of Friendship Organizations.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrades: Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, former Chairman of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations; Nguyen Van Thong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations; comrades of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, representatives of departments, branches and 200 delegates from member organizations.

Delegates attending the Congress. Photo: Thu Giang

Contribute to people's foreign affairs

In his opening speech, comrade Nguyen Van Thong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations affirmed that in the past term, people's foreign affairs activities of Nghe An province have been promoted in almost all fields, in which the role of the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations has been affirmed through the implementation of 5 targeted action programs and achieved quite good results.

The Union of Friendship Organizations is the core in implementing people's foreign affairs activities in the area. Photo courtesy

The member organizations of the Union regularly strengthen and consolidate friendly and cooperative relations with international friends and partners. All levels, sectors, localities, mass organizations, and people's organizations in the whole province have proactively coordinated to implement many people's foreign affairs activities with the motto "Proactive, flexible, creative, effective".

"The Union gradually promotes its role as a political-social organization specializing in people-to-people diplomacy," affirmed comrade Nguyen Van Thong.

Leaders of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations presented medals for peace and friendship among nations to comrades with outstanding achievements. Photo: Thu Giang

Up to now, the Union has had relations at the central level with 30 countries (an increase of 6 countries); 43 provinces and cities (an increase of 23 provinces and cities compared to the previous term); the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association increased the number of 9 provinces in Thailand; the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association increased the number of 7 provinces in Laos; the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association increased the number of 4 Association units in Japan; the Vietnam-Korea Friendship Association increased the number of 5 Association units in Korea...

During the past term, the Union paid great attention to developing relations with Nghe An compatriot associations abroad and Nghe An children studying and living in other continents, initially connecting the feelings of compatriots towards their homeland.

The Union and many member organizations have acted as a bridge to guide foreign enterprises to explore investment cooperation opportunities, participate in trade and tourism promotion, etc. People-to-people diplomacy activities have been linked with the socio-economic development of the province.

Continue to affirm the core role

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, on behalf of the provincial leaders, presented the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations with a banner bearing the words "Solidarity - Creativity - Development". Photo: Thu Giang

Speaking on behalf of the provincial leaders at the Congress, comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council raised 4 contents requesting the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations to pay attention to implementing in order to contribute to the development of people-to-people diplomacy in both breadth and depth.

Accordingly, the Union needs to continue to thoroughly grasp and implement Directive No. 04-CT/TW of the Central Party Secretariat on continuing to innovate and improve the effectiveness of people's foreign affairs in the new situation, Directive 02/CT-TU of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on continuing to innovate and improve the effectiveness of the activities of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations; promote information and propaganda work, participate as a bridge to promote investment, trade and tourism, creating a strong shift in awareness, position and role of people's foreign affairs.

The Union also needs to continue to develop and expand friendly and cooperative relations, strengthen the mobilization of aid programs and projects from foreign non-governmental organizations; continue to strengthen the organization, take care of associations...

“I deeply believe that, after this Congress, promoting the good tradition of the Union over the past 30 years, with the trust, support and active participation of all levels, sectors, organizations and the whole society, the people's foreign affairs of the province will develop even more strongly. The Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations deserves to be the core organization in people's foreign affairs activities, making practical contributions to the socio-economic development and international integration of the province”, said the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee.

President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Phuong Nga congratulated comrade Nguyen Van Thong on being re-elected as President of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations. Photo: Thu Giang

Also at the Congress, Comrade Nguyen Phuong Nga - Secretary of the Party Delegation, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations affirmed that the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and its member organizations will do their best to continue to support, coordinate and cooperate so that Nghe An friendship organizations can operate more and more effectively.

The new executive committee takes office. Photo: Thu Giang

The Congress elected 33 Executive Committee members and 5 Standing Committee members for the 2019-2024 term. Comrade Nguyen Van Thong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee continued to be elected as Chairman of the Nghe An Union of Friendship Organizations, term V.