On September 23, a delegation of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) of Viet Nam led by Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra visited and worked at the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service to discuss the relationship and future cooperation priorities between the two ministries. This was within the framework of the Cooperation Agreement on civil service and administrative modernization for the 2022-2025 period, signed by the MoHA of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Public Transformation and Service of France.
French Minister of Public Transformation and Service Stanislas GUERINI receiving Vietnamese Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra
Participating in the delegation were representatives of leaders of the following units: Office of the Ministry, Department of Planning and Finance, Department of Civil Servants and Public Employees, Office of the Party Personnel Committee, National Academy of Public Administration, and Department of International Cooperation.
Receiving and working with the Vietnamese delegation were Mr. Stanislas GUERINI, Minister of Public Transformation and Service; Ms. Nathalie COLIN, the General Director of the General Directorate of Administration and Civil Service; representatives of a number of units under the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service.
French Minister of Public Transformation and Service Stanislas GUERINI speaking at the working session
Speaking at the meeting, French Minister of Public Transformation and Service Stanislas GUERINI warmly welcomed Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra and the MoHA delegation, considering this an important event for the two ministries. The Cooperation Agreement on civil service and administrative modernization for the 2022-2025 period, signed in March 2022, is an important milestone for exchanging, sharing, and learning from each other. He strongly believed that the cooperation between the two ministries would achieve good results.
Minister of Home Affairs of Viet Nam Pham Thi Thanh Tra speaking at the meeting
Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome of the French Minister of Public Transformation and Service and his colleagues to the Vietnamese delegation. This is a meaningful visit towards the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (1973 – 2023) and the 10th anniversary of bilateral strategic partnership between the two countries (2013 – 2023) next year. This is also a practical activity to (1) realize the Cooperation Agreement on civil service and administrative modernization for the 2022-2025 period, signed by the MoHA of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Public Transformation and Service of France, (2) continue to provide important cooperation orientations, and (3) identify specific and practical cooperation activities in the coming time.
According to Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, the cooperation program for the 2016-2021 period has brought successes to public service, civil servants, administrative reform, and digital transformation in Viet Nam. Many meaningful and practical activities such as seminars and conferences on administrative reform and promotion of digital transformation, have been held, bringing great efficiency to the MoHA of Viet Nam.
Currently, the Government and Prime Minister of Viet Nam are focusing on three strategic breakthroughs in terms of institutions, human resources, and infrastructure. Therefore, the MoHA of Viet Nam wishes that in the 2022-2025 period, the two ministries will continue to cooperatively focus on priority issues that France has a lot of experience in, such as: (1) Reform of civil service and civil servants and digital transformation to improve the quality of human resources in the public sector – this is a core activity and should be prioritized for implementation; (2) Decentralization, transfer of power, streamlining the organizational apparatus and improving the operational efficiency of local governments at all levels; (3) Sharing documents and publications related to the French Government’s civil service and civil servant management. The above cooperation priorities will contribute to the efficiency of civil service and civil servant reform, meeting the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Viet Nam. The delegation will visit the French National Institute of Public Service (INSP) in the afternoon and attend the opening ceremony of the training course for young managers and female officials from Vietnamese localities at the Normandie School of Management on September 26. This represents the long-term cooperation of the MoHA of Viet Nam with French partners in improving the quality of Vietnamese cadres and civil servants. These are also practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of bilateral strategic partnership by 2023.
The scene of the working session
Minister Stanislas GUERINI expressed his willingness to share the experiences of France in renovating the professional training of high-ranking officials in the new era. He stated that the civil service creates people’s trust; training civil servants and improving their quality are also to serve the people, and the key to improving the operational efficiency of the civil service is civil service reform, digital transformation, and a lean workforce. With practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of bilateral strategic partnership, he said the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service is willing to cooperate with the MoHA of Viet Nam.
Both sides pledged to continue promoting the cooperative relationship within the framework of the Cooperation Agreement and other key activities that the two Ministers discussed as well as the specific cooperation program for 2023. Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra thanked Minister Stanislas GUERINI for his reception and looked forward to the successful cooperation relationship between the two ministries.
Delegates of the two ministries taking a photo
Within the framework of the visit and working session at the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra also listened to Ms. Nathalie Colin – General Director of the General Directorate of Administration and Civil Service (DAGFP) present an overview of the French civil service, experience in downsizing, and cooperation orientations with the MoHA of Viet Nam. Ms. Maryvonne Lebrignonen, Director of the National Institute of Public Service (INSP), also discussed with the delegation the possibility of cooperation and bringing Vietnamese personnel to INSP for training.
Mr. Alexandre TRAN, Manager of international projects and partners in Asia – America (MPPI), INSP presenting certificates for 40 participants of the training course on decentralization and modernization of civil service organized by NAPA in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Service (INSP), France in June 2022 to Dr. Nguyen Dang Que, NAPA Executive Vice President
