VAVA’s 5th National Congress: promoting the achievements, focusing on well implementing the Resolution of the 5th Congress, 2023-2028 term

      President of Vietnam Association for Agent Orange/dioxin

On December 27 - 28, 2023, in Hanoi, the 5th Congress of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, 2023-2028 term was convened and  ended successfully. This is an important political event, creating new motivation for each officer and member of the Association to overcome difficulties, build a strong association, and successfully complete the tasks set by the Party and State.

The Congress has approved the Report of the Association's work for the 2018-2023 term, which emphasized some outstanding results: The Central Association and the Provincial Associations have advised on the implementation of Directive No. 43. -CT/TW dated May 14, 2015 of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam. The implementation process involves close and synchronous coordination between all levels of the Association from the Central to the grassroots, and between the Association and functional agencies at the same level. To date, associations have been established in 63/63 provinces and cities; 613 districts; 6,629 communes, wards and towns, with a total of 415,097 members. The work of mobilizing social resources to care for and help AO victims has achieved remarkable results. During the term, over 2,300 billion VND was mobilized. The spending of the Association’s Fund was conducted in an open, transparent and efficient manner. Associations at all levels have actively proposed and contributed opinions to the authorities on amendments and supplements to regimes and policies for resistance activists infected with toxic chemicals. They have promptly detected inadequacies and problems in implementation, and reported to competent authorities for settlement. The Association's people-to-people diplomacy activities have been constantly expanded and deepened, significantly contributing to making the US Congress and Government change their awareness and become more responsible in dealing with dioxin remnants at Da Nang airport, Bien Hoa airport and humanitarian aid for people with disabilities, including AO victims.

Those results affirm the efforts of the Association at all levels and its staff and members to overcome difficulties and complete all the goals and tasks set by its 4th Congress. Activities of associations at all levels also affirm the role and position of the Association towards party committees, local authorities and society as truly an organization representing the legitimate rights and interests of the victims. However, the 5th Congress also pointed out a number of limitations, such as: the development of the association organizations and members in many places has yet to meet the target; the mobilization of resources in some places is still passive, not perseverance and not yet diverse in form; results of mobilization are still low or not commensurate with the actual potential of the localities...

In recent years, the Party and State have had many policies and guidelines to care for people with meritorious services to the revolution in general, resistance activists and their children infected with toxic chemicals, in particular, but only nearly 400,000 victims infected with toxic chemicals during the war enjoyed those policies. Hundreds of thousands of other victims are still in pain and struggling with illness every day. Hundreds of thousands of children are deformed and born with birth defects caused by Agent Orange/dioxin. They are "the poorest of the poor, the most miserable among the miserable".

With the motto "solidarity, gratitude, responsibility, towards the victims, actively innovating to make the Association strong and successfully complete all tasks assigned by the Party and State", the 5th Congress called on the organizations and individuals at home and abroad continue to "join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange"; called on all of its officials and members to unite and join hands with the Central Executive Committee of the Association in overcoming the difficulties and actively emulate to successfully implementing the Resolution of the 5th Congress for 2023 -2028 term.

In order for the Resolution of the 5th Congress to come to life, it is recommended that the Association at all levels perform well the following key tasks:

Firstly, consulting with the Party, State, relevant departments and ministries on amending, supplementing and promulgating directives, ordinances, decrees, circulars, instructions... related to the work of overcoming the consequences of the toxic chemicals during the war and the organization and operations of the Association. Thoroughly grasp and implement Decision 118-QD/TW dated August 22, 2023 of the Secretariat on Regulations on organization and operation of mass associations assigned by the Party and State at the Central level. Strengthen inspection of the implementation of Directive 43-CT/TW of the Secretariat in localities, for the summary of 10 years implementing Directive 43-CT/TW in 2025. The Standing Committee of the Associations at all levels need to focus on advising local party committees and authorities on leading and directing the operations of the Associations, especially the funds, headquarters and remuneration for officers doing the association's work.

Second, promoting propaganda about the success of the 5th Congress of the 2023 - 2028 term and the results achieved in the 4th term (2018 - 2023). Continue to propagate the Agent Orange disaster and the efforts of our Party, State and people to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam. Regularly maintain the Movement "Action for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange" launched by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, associated with activities commemorating  “Day For Victims of Agent Orange - August 10), the Exhibition "Orange - Conscience and Justice"... Complete the Regulations on emulation, commendation, evaluation and review of emulation. At the same time, attach importance to discovering and replicating typical examples, good practices and effective models in building the association’s organizations and caring for and helping the victims. Promote the role of mass media; combine regular propaganda and peak propaganda, propaganda at home and propaganda abroad…

Vietnam Agent Orange Magazine focuses on improving the quality of both print and electronic publications, both Vietnamese and English; continue to expand the target readers, at the same time, maintain the stability of the Association's Website.

Third, regularly consolidate and build the Association's central agency and its subordinates at all levels in an effective and efficient direction. Continue to develop the association and its branches in places with sufficient conditions; build and strengthen the associations in remote, isolated and extremely difficult areas. Promote the role of the associations in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the victims. Develop operating regulations, thoroughly brief and implement the Resolution of the 5th Congress to each association; improve the capacity and responsibilities of the association's staff and members, especially the role and responsibilities of the leaders, so that the association is truly a solid support for the victims.

Fourth, attentively carry out policy work; continue to review, propose supplements, and improve regimes and policies for resistance activists and their offspring infected with Agent Orange/dioxin; ensure that all regimes and policies of the Party and State reach the right beneficiaries. Advise and propose policies for resistance activists who are infected with Agent Orange but have lost their records and documents; regimes and policies for grandchildren of resistance activists infected with Agent Orange; for those who directly take care of serious victims; for officers and employees operating after the year 1975 in areas heavily contaminated with Agent Orange/dioxin during the war.

Fifth, proactively and actively mobilize resources in many forms to better support, care for and help the victims; strive to mobilize a total sum of money of 1,500 - 2,000 billion VND (including money and in-kind items converted into money) during the term. Continue to innovate the form and method of deploying the annual charity texting program. Manage and use the Agent Orange Fund in a transparent and open manner, preventing embezzlement and corruption in the management and use of funds and assets during operation.

Sixth, promoting propaganda and implementing Directive 12-CT/TW dated January 5, 2022 of the Secretariat "On strengthening the Party's leadership, improving the effectiveness of people-to-people diplomacy in the new situation." Strengthen the traditional relationships and connections between the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and non-governmental organizations in the US, Korea, Japan, France... Promote propaganda and advocacy to mobilize resources supporting and assisting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange in fighting for human rights, protecting peace, and preventing the production and use of weapons of mass destruction. Continue the fight for justice for the victims in accordance with the Party's foreign policy and the State's policies and regulations, in the context of our country's increasingly deep and wide international integration. Continue to mobilize, gather forces, and coordinate the fight in appropriate forms to support Ms. Tran To Nga's lawsuit against the US chemical corporations that produced and supplied Agent Orange/dioxin for the US military during the war in Vietnam./.

  Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh