Q: The 15th National Congress for the 2026-2031 term has concluded successfully. What are your expectations and aspirations for the VLA in its 15th term (2026-2031)?
A: The documents submitted to the 15th National Congress of the VLA were carefully prepared through a democratic process, drawing on the collective wisdom of all VLA organisations and members.
Once adopted by the congress, these documents will provide orientations and a basis for the VLA and its members to implement them with determination, creativity and effectiveness, in line with the conditions and circumstances of each level of the association and the capabilities and strengths of individual members.
The orientations, objectives, targets, tasks, and solutions adopted at the congress represent commitments by the VLA and its lawyers and members during the 15th term to the Party, the State, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, and the people.
I therefore hope that all units, VLA organisations and members will join hands in solidarity to implement the documents adopted at the 15th Congress immediately after the event, strive to fulfil the targets ahead of schedule, and make numerous positive and practical contributions to the development of the country and localities in this new stage of development.
Q: In the new term, the VLA has identified a range of breakthroughs. What specific tasks and activities will the association undertake to achieve these breakthroughs and promote its sustainable development?
A: The documents adopted at this congress identify three breakthroughs closely linked to the association’s functions and responsibilities.
The first breakthrough is to enhance the capacity to contribute to institutional development and the building of a socialist rule-of-law state in Viet Nam. Contributing to and helping draft legislation is a traditional activity and a strength of those working in the VLA. However, under the approach recently set out by the Party and the State, lawmaking must serve as a means of shaping institutions and promoting development, providing a foundation for growth and opening new pathways for development.
The VLA therefore recognises that this must be a breakthrough in the coming term. Contributions to lawmaking must serve the goal of creating pathways for development and addressing real-life problems. Lawyers should not merely suggest changes to wording once a draft has been prepared. Instead, as soon as an issue arising from practical experience is identified, they must put forward proposals and contribute to the drafting of legislation.
Lawyers must act as a “bridge”, bringing real-life issues into the lawmaking process and into legislation itself. Once laws have been adopted, they must also help translate them into practice.
The second breakthrough is to improve the quality of service to the people, focus more strongly on the grassroots level, and promote the social value of the law and of those working in the legal field. We are adopting a proactive approach to our activities and requiring all VLA organisations and members to participate in the association’s work.
To put this approach into practice, we have set a range of specific, measurable targets. The congress resolution sets a target for 70% of members to participate, in an appropriate form, in at least one activity each year relating to the development of policies and laws. This means that, with 100,000 members and 70% of them taking part, we can carry out a large number of policy and lawmaking activities each year, as well as legal dissemination and education.
Another aspect of renewing our working methods concerns resources. The association’s greatest resource is its membership and the collective knowledge of its members. We therefore need to organise activities that draw fully on their expertise, enabling them to participate comprehensively and exercise their rights and fulfil their obligations in a substantive and effective manner. I believe that if we can fully harness this invaluable resource of more than 100,000 members, we will unleash tremendous strength.
The third breakthrough concerns the development of the association’s organisation and the expansion of its human resources and membership. One difficulty during the previous term was the absence of VLA organisations at commune and ward level, where people and businesses have the closest ties. As a result, we have sometimes been unable to stay sufficiently close to grassroots realities.
We are determined to establish Association organisations at commune and ward level. Our resolution sets a target for 80% of communes and wards nationwide to have VLA organisations during this term. This is an ambitious target, however, we are determined to achieve it so that we can serve the people as closely and effectively as possible.
Q: How will the association’s breakthroughs and key activities in the coming term be aligned with the overall tasks of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front?
A: As a member organisation of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, the association closely follows its overall orientations, including the Resolution of the 11th National Congress of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front for the 2026-2031 term.
The documents submitted to the association’s 15th Congress translate the Viet Nam Fatherland Front’s orientations, objectives, and requirements into concrete measures suited to the association’s functions, resources, and professional strengths. The VLA will coordinate in monitoring and providing social feedback on policies; participate in lawmaking and law enforcement; disseminate legal knowledge and mobilise the public to comply with the law; gather feedback from practical experience to propose improvements to policies and legislation; and protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of the people.
Importantly, the VLA will take a proactive and active approach and coordinate effectively with other member organisations of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front in carrying out its tasks, making increasingly positive contributions to the front’s “common home.”
Reporter: Thank you for sharing your insights.
