In the 50-year flow of the Foreign Service, consular work and citizen protection have always been one of the very important tasks that the Party and State have paid attention to and closely directed.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the industry (August 28, 1945 - August 28, 2025), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang shared about the impressions and contributions of consular work and citizen protection for the diplomatic sector and strategic orientations and breakthroughs to elevate the level of consular work and citizen protection in the new development stage.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang shared: " President Ho Chi Minh, the first Foreign Minister of Vietnam, once taught: Our Party " has no other interests than the interests of the people and the Fatherland". That is also the guideline for the Vietnamese diplomatic sector over the past 80 years - always devoted to serving the Fatherland and the people.
This is clearly demonstrated when from the very beginning of its formation and throughout the development process, consular work and protection of civil rights and interests are one of the important tasks of the diplomatic sector.
With the initial mission of propagating patriotism, mobilizing overseas Vietnamese to return to their homeland, and participating in the resistance war to protect the Fatherland, the first consular posts were opened in India, Myanmar, and Indonesia, laying the foundation for the establishment of diplomatic missions in the future and also the first steps in consular work and citizen protection".
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang said that over the past 80 years of construction and growth, consular work and citizen protection have achieved many important results, contributing to the overall achievements of foreign affairs, and have been recognized by the Party, State and people.
The Deputy Minister mentioned some outstanding marks:
Firstly, citizen protection work has always been implemented resolutely and urgently with the highest sense of initiative and responsibility, putting the safety of citizens' lives first and foremost.
"Not only simply resolving procedures, issuing documents or common civil protection measures, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with relevant ministries and branches has conducted large-scale civil evacuation campaigns in areas with armed conflicts, political instability, natural disasters, epidemics such as the civil evacuation campaign from Iraq in 1991, Libya in 2011, Ukraine in 2014, 2022, Myanmar in 2023 and most recently the Israel-Iran conflict, ensuring safety, and not allowing any casualties for our citizens. Consular officers were not in danger when they needed to rescue the captured beachids or be ready to go to areas that had just experienced a natural earthquake, when the earthquakes had not stopped. Protecting citizens safely contributes to strengthening the image and prestige of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the people's trust in the correct and reasonable policies and decisions of the Party and the State" - Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang shared.
Second, with the principle of taking people and businesses as the center, consular work at home and abroad is increasingly being consolidated in the direction of publicity, transparency, contributing to the building of a serving, efficient, effective and efficient administration.
Third, international cooperation in consulates and migration is increasingly expanded and deepened through the establishment and maintenance of a consular consultation mechanism with important partners.
