Achievement of 10-year Diplomatic Activities of External Relation Department of Can Tho city

External Relation Department of Can Tho city was founded in 2005, on the basis of Decision No. 40/2005/QD-UB dated on June 20^th 2005 of the Chairman of the city People's Committee. At the newly established External Relation Department had only 5 members, including one director, one head of department and 03 officers, but in the present time, the number of  civil servants of the department is 24 people. The department has acted as an active advisor for the City People's Committee to issue the Regulations on the unification management of foreign affairs attached Decision No. 22/2011/QD-UBND dated on August 19^th 2011. In addition, in order to ensure appropriateness and feasibility with local conditions and meet the increasing requirements of external and internal affairs, and international integration process of locals and the country as well; in 2014, the department prepared and submitted to the city People's Committee in order to issue  the Regulations on management, organization and implementation of foreign activities through the Decision 08/2014/QD-Committee dated on September 23^rd 2014 to replace the Decision No. 22/2011/QD-UBND.

Getting the care of the city leaders, and all departments, divisions, locals of the city - especially valuable contributions of whole staff of the External Relation Department, the 10-year path of foundation and growth of External Relation Department of Can Tho city is the process approaching, accumulating experiences from three aspects: political diplomacy, economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy. The Department has ceaselessly made a strong effort to rise and cooperate with other authorities of the city to effectively complete the duties assigned as follows:

I. Achievements

1. The management of the delegations-out activities

- In 10 years, External Relation Department of Can Tho city has acted as an responsible advisor for the City People's Committee to manage about 1000 delegations with about 3000 officials and public servants going abroad to work or go sightseeing etc., and assist the city's leaders and enterprises in applying for visa to immigrate into countries for the purposes such as signing cooperation, finding investment opportunities, calling for investment etc.

- In beginning of 2015 External Relation Department of Can Tho city signed the cooperation agreement with External Relation Department of Ho Chi Minh city to aim at quickly solving procedures of granting Diplomatic and Public Affairs passports, Official notes to apply for a visa to enter countries for civil servants (CS) of the city in foreign affairs.

- Together with creating favorable conditions for the businessmen of enterprises in the city to go abroad in order to explore markets, promote investment etc. External Relation Department accepted files to deal with and acted as an advisor and submitted to the city People's Committee to issue about 100 Decisions allowing about 200 members of enterprises in the city to use ABTCs.

2. The management of delegations-in activities

- From 2005 up to now, External Relation Department carried out the its functions and duties to manage and welcome about 2.000 international delegations with a number of 8000 people to visit to exchange experiences, work, cooperate economics and sign international agreements with Can Tho city. Among the delegations, a number of delegations attended the big events of the city such as the National Year of Tourism Mekong - Can Tho in 2008; International Women's Volleyball VTV Cup in 2008; Investment Promotion Conference, Trade and Tourism in 2009; "The days of tourism - Cultural Mekong - Japan in 2009"; Inauguration of the Can Tho Bridge and Vietnam - Can Tho Seafood Festival in 2010; Celebration of 35 years of liberation of the South of Vietnam, Investment and Development of the Mekong Delta Conference in 2010;  "ASEM Seminar "and" World Water Day "in 2013; Southeast Asia Karate Championship times III, U21 International Football League of Youth Newspaper in 2014; especially External Relation Department coordinated closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to held a successful meeting among Chairman of Can Tho city People's Committee together with Leaderships of the city Departments and Heads of Diplomatic Missions of many countries and international organizations (Diplomatic Delegations) led by Morocco Ambassador, and Mr. Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, also attended within the framework of exhibition events - achievement fair of 10 years of construction and development of the Mekong Delta in 2012.

- The Department coordinated with other relevant authorities to support and manage the activities of about 100 foreign journalist delegations to operate in locals, and acted as an advisor for the city People's Committee to give permits; and the Department also assessed, permitted and managed the agencies where there were about 400 conferences and international seminars held in the city, which was suitable with regulations.

- In order to attract foreign investment in Can Tho City, External Relation Department also keeps in touch with the Immigration Department in Ho Chi Minh city to assist foreign entrepreneurs in applying for visa to enter Vietnam to find both investment and business opportunities in Can Tho city.

3. International Cooperation

3.1. The management of foreign investment cooperation activities:

          - Helping the city People's committee with successfully welcoming and working with delegations, corporations, top leaders from provinces, regions, and foreign countries to come to go on business, get to  know and discuss cooperation plans, and strengthen investment cooperation with Can Tho city.  

- Performing the role of bridge of city with diplomatic missions to implement the plan to celebrate the memory of even years of establishing friendly and diplomatic relations between Vietnam and other countries like France, Australia, Britain, Singapore, Canada, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, Japan, Indonesia etc.

- For international cooperation in the field of training, in addition to report to Internal Department to monitor the situation of students in the scheme - 150 of  Can Tho city studying abroad,  External Relation Department hosted and coordinated with other relevant agencies to act as an advisor for the People's Committee to grant university and Doctorate scholarships upon the youth of  Laos and Cambodia. Currently there are 05 Cambodian students, 05 Vietnamese Cambodian students and 08 Lao students studying at Can Tho University.

3.2. Signing and implementing international agreements:

- Acting as an advisor for People's Committee to sign 18 Memoranda of cooperation with foreign partners in the fields of agriculture, tourism - hotels, trade, education, investment, health, environment etc.

- In the upcoming time, cooperation will be strengthened with the provinces / cities of Cambodia, Laos, the US, France, Belgium, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, the Middle East countries, African etc.

3.3. Construction and implementation of projects and plans on foreign affairs

- Acting as an advisor for People's Committee to promulgate and implement Strategies of Culture Diplomacy in 2015-2020 period; Scheme of the 10th Cooperation Meeting between locals of Vietnam - France (scheduled to be held in June 2016)

- In the last 6 months of 2015: completing outlines of Scheme of External Strategy and international integration from now and 2020, with a vision to 2030 to submit to the city's People's Committee.

4. External information activities

- The Department coordinates with other relevant Departments and Divisions in work of management of external information activities; the Radio and Television of Can Tho city keep broadcasting News day every night. External Relation Department also provides information of meetings of the city leaders on the website of the Department and Portal of the city People's Committee in time.

- The Department started the operation of Vietnamese website and successfully built English website of External Relation Department, aiming  at promoting the image of Can Tho to international friends, oversea Vietnamese people; attracting investors and tourists; and participating into introducing Can Tho City on media and magazines.

5. Diplomatic cultural activities:

- The Department was responsible for  acting as an advisor for the City People's Committee to successfully hold meeting "Happy New Year" annually for foreign experts working at Can Tho. Through the meeting foreigners know more about socio-economic situation and the contribution of foreigners to the overall success of the city. The number of foreigners attending the annual meeting increases each year.

          - The Department played a role as an advisor and a link for the city People's Committee to send congratulatory messages to countries to welcome on their important national holidays, and new Ambassadors and Consular Officers who come to receive new duties in Vietnam; also to Embassies and Consulate Generals in Vietnam. Moreover, the Department sends letters of condolences to countries in case of heart-breaking news and loss of people and property.    

- The Department creates good conditions for individuals, organizations, oversea diplomatic representative organizations to hold cultural days and films show as well as seminars to introduce the beauty of countries, their people and cultures in Can Tho city, in particularly, the show of modern dance of the Indian Dance Group; and also hold cultural activities with American Cultural Messenger, American Hiphop Dance Show, and Indonesian Cultural Day etc.