Strengthening management of delegations on business trips abroad

(Baonghean) -On July 21, 2014, the Politburo issued Directive No. 38-CT/TW on strengthening the management of delegations on overseas business trips with the following contents:

In recent times, Party committees, authorities, Fatherland Fronts, and organizations at the central level and in provinces and centrally-run cities (hereinafter referred to as agencies, organizations, and localities) have thoroughly grasped, concretized, and implemented the Regulations on unified management of foreign affairs activities and the Party and State's regulations on sending delegations on overseas missions. The management of overseas missions has gradually become routine, contributing to improving the effectiveness of foreign affairs work.

However, in recent years, there have been too many delegations going on business trips abroad using state budget funds; there are situations where delegations have unclear purposes, duplicate content and locations, are ineffective, and cause waste; some places arrange delegations to go abroad mainly for policy resolution, sightseeing, surveying, and tourism.

The main cause of the above shortcomings and weaknesses is that many Party committees, agencies, units, localities and some leaders and managers at all levels have not seriously implemented regulations on sending delegations on overseas missions; management work is not strict, the coordination mechanism between key management agencies is not really clear and the efficiency is not high.

To strictly manage delegations on foreign business trips (visits, work, research), in accordance with current regulations of the Party and State, especially the Politburo's Regulations on unified management of foreign affairs activities; to ensure the organization of foreign business trips in a practical, effective and economical manner, the Politburo requires Party committees, agencies, organizations and localities to well implement the following points:

1- Continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the Politburo's Regulations on unified management of foreign affairs activities and relevant regulations of the Party and State. Urgently review, amend and supplement to perfect the regulations and rules on management of foreign affairs activities.

The heads of Party committees and Party organizations at the central and local levels must be responsible for leading, directing and regularly inspecting the development and implementation of foreign affairs plans, especially the sending of delegations on foreign business trips by their agencies, organizations and localities; focusing on leading and directing the strict implementation of Party and State regulations on confidentiality in foreign affairs activities. Officials and civil servants on foreign business trips are not allowed to bring with them confidential documents of the Party and State. Delegations on foreign business trips must ensure compliance with the laws of the host country.

2- Agencies, organizations and localities must develop annual plans and budget estimates for foreign affairs activities (if any), submit them to competent authorities for approval according to regulations, including a separate section on overseas business travel expenses. Annual foreign affairs plans must be specific, ensuring that they closely meet the requirements of political tasks, foreign affairs and international integration requirements, and are consistent with the financial capacity of agencies, organizations and localities. Minimize sending delegations on overseas business trips that are not included in the plan; do not send delegations on exchanges, surveys, or learning from impractical foreign experiences... using the state budget. Implement the reporting and approval regime for personnel on overseas business trips under the management of the Politburo and the Secretariat in accordance with the time and current regulations.

3- Delegations going on business trips abroad must have a plan clearly stating the purpose, requirements of the trip, the receiving partner, the content, and specific work program; note that it is necessary to discuss in advance with our representative agency in the destination country to create favorable conditions for the delegation to leave and unify management, avoiding overlap with previous delegations.

For delegations going abroad to study and gain experience within the framework of cooperation agreements, training programs, projects and topics, there must be a detailed research outline and approval by competent authorities before implementation.

The time for each overseas business trip must be carefully and closely calculated, based on ensuring work requirements, practicality, efficiency and economy.

Leaders of Party committees, ministries, branches, the Ethnic Council and committees of the National Assembly, socio-political organizations, people's organizations, provinces and centrally-run cities must be exemplary and carefully consider overseas business trips; strictly follow the regulations on overseas business trips no more than twice a year (except in cases of urgent needs or due to truly necessary work); do not arrange for two key leaders of a ministry, branch, agency, unit or locality to join the same delegation on an overseas business trip; do not participate in overseas delegations organized and sponsored by enterprises or specifically invited by foreign enterprises.

The delegation must be organized in a compact manner in accordance with regulations. The cadres participating in the delegation must be the right person for the right job, taking into account the cadre training needs. Do not bring relatives with you on the working delegation. In special cases or due to work requirements, the wife or husband must be accompanied, this must be decided by the competent authority.

Gifts for foreign partners should be compact, economical, appropriate, focusing on cultural significance, propaganda, and introduction of Vietnam and its people. Delegations on business trips abroad must practice economy when using means of transport, and encourage the use of low-cost airlines.

Agencies, units, and localities are not allowed to organize foreign tours and travel for officials, civil servants, and public employees... using the state budget; and are not allowed to organize receptions or intimate dinners abroad (except in special necessary cases and must be permitted by competent authorities).

4- At the end of a business trip abroad, the head of the delegation must report the results of the trip to the competent authority. For delegations going on research trips or learning experiences, they must promptly share information and notify the relevant agencies of the results of the trip.

Every 6 months and every year, agencies, organizations and localities report on the implementation of their overseas business trip plans and the use of their overseas business trip budget to the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for synthesis and reporting to the Secretariat and the Prime Minister.

5- The advisory agencies submitting for approval the annual foreign affairs plans of agencies, organizations and localities are responsible for appraising, inspecting, managing and closely supervising the planning and implementation of overseas business trips, and resolutely cutting down on overseas business trips that are not really necessary.

Diplomatic missions abroad are responsible for participating in inspecting and supervising the organization of overseas working delegations in their respective areas, promptly recommending competent domestic agencies to consider and reduce delegations that are not really necessary or have exchange and work content that is not suitable for the host country.

6- Party committees and organizations at all levels shall thoroughly grasp and seriously implement this Directive. Every year, the Central External Relations Commission shall preside over and coordinate with the Party Personnel Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly to synthesize and evaluate the implementation of the Directive and report to the Politburo and the Secretariat.

This directive is disseminated to party cells./.

On behalf of the POLITBURE

Le Hong Anh