At the talks between Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra and French Minister of Public Transformation and Service Stanislas Guérini (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Vietnamese Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra held talks with French Minister of Public Transformation and Service Stanislas Guérini in Hanoi on November 30.

Minister Tra hailed the minister’s visit as a significant milestone as the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

She said thanks to effective cooperation with the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service, the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has acquired valuable experience to perform tasks, especially in public service transformation, administrative reform and digital transformation.

According to her, a considerable number of officials and civil servants is leaving the public sector for the private sector following the COVID-19. To supplement this workforce while ensuring a reduction in personnel on the payroll, the ministry is studying policies to attract and retain talent in the public sector.

In administrative reform, Vietnam is focusing on decentralisation linked with power control to ensure the effectiveness of work, she said, adding that the initial results in public service and administrative reform, and digital transformation in Vietnam are achieved through the collaboration with the French Ministry of Public Transformation and Service.

Guérini, for his part, expressed admiration for Vietnam's achievements in digital transformation, especially the National Public Service Portal, which is a product of joint work with France.

Both sides agreed on coordination in various areas, incorporating them into the cooperation plan between the two ministries. Activities include the exchange of experience, workshops, seminars in Vietnam or France, and relevant countries within the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) network, ASEAN mechanisms, focusing on public governance, administrative and public service reform, and civil service improvement.

Special attention was given to training and nurturing young and female officials for local authorities in Vietnam at France’s Normandie Business School and the National Institute of Public Service (INSP), a project currently undertaken by the MoHA.

They promised to bolster cooperation in digital transformation, e-government, and digital archives. Ongoing efforts include strengthening support and expert exchanges in public service, administrative and salary reform, aiming for a modern, professional, green and sustainable public service.

In the afternoon the same day, President of the Ho Chi Minh Academy of Politics (HCMA) and Chairman of the Central Theory Council Nguyen Xuan Thang hosted a reception for the minister.

Thang told the guest that the HCMA wishes to step up cooperation and share experience with French partners in personnel training and scientific research.

He suggested the French ministry and partners continue assisting Vietnam in refining its institutional framework and administrative reform toward a modern public administration.

Later, both host and guest also witnessed the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding between the HCMA, the INSP, and the General Directorate for the Administration and Civil Service of France.