Hanoi (VNA) – A conference discussingways to promote cooperation in social security between Vietnam and foreignnon-governmental organisations (NGOs) was jointly held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA)and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) in Hanoi on December 19.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs Le Tan Dung said the Vietnamese Governmenthas made efforts to build and perfect the national legal system and policies onsocial security.

Foreign NGOs have actively helped the country reach significant results in thework, especially in job creation, vocational training, and sustainable povertyreduction, through cooperation projects, direct support provided for Vietnamesepeople, and technical assistance in building and implementing policies.

Dung highlighted the significance of foreign NGOs’ contributions, saying that theyhave not only benefited disadvantaged Vietnamese people, but also helpedenhance the friendship between Vietnam and other countries.

With their approach of policy development and implementation, foreign NGOs havebuilt innovative and flexible models, helping to ensure social security forpeople in many Vietnamese localities, especially vulnerable groups, hestressed.

Dung also underlined the need to buildsuitable cooperation mechanisms between the country and foreign NGOs in order toavoid overlapping and achieve more sustainable results in this work.

VUFO Vice President and Secretary General Don Tuan Phong said foreign NGOs haveworked in all fields in localities nationwide recently, focusing on Vietnam’spriority sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture and ruraldevelopment, and solving social problems.

For the labour, invalids and social affairs sector, foreign NGOs have mainlysupported children, people with disabilities, the elderly, Agent Orangevictims, and others affected by the war, he added.

Phong said Vietnam needs great support and close cooperation from internationalorganisations, expressing his hope that foreign NGOs will continue to cooperatewith the country’s labour, invalids and social affairs sector at all levels.

The VUFO pledges to work with the MoLISA andlocalities to facilitate the operations of international NGOs in this field, heaffirmed.

Participants at the event shared relevant information and pointed out barriersto overcome in the process of cooperation between foreign NGOs and Vietnam’sagencies, thus rolling out a more effective cooperation mechanism in thefuture.–VNA