The overseas Vietnamese affairs were conducted strongly and comprehensively throughout 2021 with fruitful outcomes, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, head of the State Committee for OV Affairs, told a press on January 7.
Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, head of the State Committee for OV Affairs
(Photo: VNA)– The overseas Vietnamese OV) affairs were conducted strongly and comprehensively throughout 2021 with fruitful outcomes, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, head of the State Committee for OV Affairs, told a press on January 7.
Currently, about 5.3 million Vietnamese people are living in 130 countries and territories around the world.
The community has become an increasingly important economic and brainpower resource for the national development, especially amid COVID-19, the official said.
Last year, the community donated over 80 billion VND (3.52 million USD) and a large quantity of medical supplies and equipment to the National COVID-19 Vaccine Fund.
Despite COVID-19 impacts, they sent about 18.1 billion USD of remittance to Vietnam (as reported by the World Bank), a 5.2 percent rise over 2020.
Hieu said that Vietnamese people abroad have shown increasing hope to make more contributions to the national development.
Vietnamese community in Canada supports National COVID-19 Vaccine Fund (Photo: VNA)
Last year, a number of new policies regarding OV affairs were issued to suit the new situation. Besides, various activities were conducted to foster connections between OVs and their fellows at home.
Amid the complicated developments of COVID-19, the committee has given timely support to OVs facing difficulties abroad, especially those in Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Myanmar, Angola, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, he noted.
In 2022, it will focus on promoting the national great solidarity among OVs, and optimising resources from the Vietnamese community abroad for national development.
At the same time, the committee will continue to support the community in improving their legal status in the host countries to settle down, showing the responsibility of the Party and State in caring for the community.
Along with supporting the teaching of the Vietnamese language among the community, the committee will also work harder to provide more information on the situation back in Vietnam and the Party and State’s policies to the community./.