Decision No. 2116/QD-BNN-HTQT on the issuance of the unified management regulations for foreign affairs activities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Pursuant to …;

ISSUING REGULATIONS ON UNIFIED MANAGEMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2008/ND-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to Ordinance No. 24/2000/PL-UBTVQH10 dated April 28, 2000 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on entry, exit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam;

Pursuant to Decree No. 136/2007/ND-CP dated August 17, 2007 of the Government on exit and entry of Vietnamese citizens;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of International Cooperation,

DECISION:

Article 1. These Regulations on Unified Management of Foreign Affairs Activities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development are hereby promulgated together with this Decision.

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect 15 days from the date of signature and replace Decision No. 986/QD-BNV dated April 27, 2005 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the issuance of Regulations on Working Procedures and Receiving Foreign Guests of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Article 3. The Head of the Ministry's Office, the Director of the Department of International Cooperation, and the Heads of relevant units are responsible for implementing this Decision./.

REGULATIONS

UNIFIED MANAGEMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(Issued together with Decision No. 2116/QD-BNN-HTQT dated July 14, 2008 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development)

Chapter 1.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

These Regulations govern the unified management of foreign affairs activities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

These Regulations apply to individuals, organizations, and units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Article 2. Principles of Unified Management of Foreign Affairs Work

1. Foreign affairs activities aim at strengthening comprehensive strength and enhancing the position of agriculture and rural areas of Vietnam in the international community.

2. Ensuring effective implementation of the Party and State’s foreign policy, maintaining national secrets and security in accordance with the law.

3. Ensuring unified leadership by the Party Committee and the Minister over foreign affairs activities, clear and specific tasks, and promoting the initiative of units and individuals in carrying out foreign affairs activities.

4. Ensuring that foreign affairs activities are carried out according to annual programs and plans approved by the Minister, strictly adhering to reporting regulations.

Chapter 2.

MANAGEMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WORK

Article 3. Contents of Foreign Affairs Activities

1. Developing and implementing plans and programs for foreign affairs work.

2. Organizing and managing outbound delegations for study and work abroad (referred to as outbound delegations) and inbound delegations visiting units under the Ministry (referred to as inbound delegations).

3. Organizing reception and working with foreign partners and other external diplomatic activities.

4. Organizing international conferences and seminars.

5. Organizing domestic tours for inbound delegations and overseas tours for outbound delegations.

6. Diplomatic documentation work.

7. Providing information and materials to foreign partners.

8. External protection and information dissemination work.

Article 4. Plan Development

1. Heads of units directly under the Ministry must submit their unit's foreign affairs plan for the following year to the Ministry (through the Department of International Cooperation and the Department of Organization and Cadres) before October 10 each year.

2. The Department of International Cooperation is responsible for developing plans for outbound and inbound delegations of senior leaders, consolidating plans from units, submitting them for review by Ministry leadership, and sending the overall sectoral foreign affairs plan to the Prime Minister.

3. In January each year, the Department of International Cooperation announces the approved annual foreign affairs plan to relevant units for implementation.

4. For major foreign affairs activities outside the approved plan, units need to provide related documents through the Department of International Cooperation for submission to seek guidance from Ministry leadership.

5. The contents of the annual foreign affairs plan include:

a) International cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding expected to be signed;

b) International cooperation programs and projects currently being implemented and planned;

c) International commitments made by Vietnam;

d) Outbound and inbound delegations (official and unofficial);

e) International conferences, seminars, and training courses involving foreign elements;

f) Other international cooperation matters.

Article 5. Tasks and Powers

1. The Department of International Cooperation:

Shall implement unified management of foreign affairs activities of the Ministry in accordance with Article 2 of Decision No. 11/2008/QD-BNN dated January 28, 2008 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the Functions, Tasks, Authorities, and Organizational Structure of the Department of International Cooperation.

2. Ministry Office:

a) Coordinate with the Department of International Cooperation to prepare budget estimates and develop annual financial plans for foreign affairs activities of the Ministry funded by state budget, for review and decision by Ministry leadership;

b) Coordinate with the Department of International Cooperation and relevant units to organize the implementation of the Ministry's annual and emergency international cooperation plans; prepare meeting venues and equipment when foreign affairs activities are conducted at the Ministry's office; and settle financial accounts for foreign affairs activities.

3. The Department of Organization and Cadres shall lead and coordinate with relevant units to monitor and prepare semi-annual and annual reports on outbound delegations for the Department of International Cooperation to consolidate and report.

4. The Finance Department is responsible for allocating funds for foreign affairs activities according to the Ministry's plan.

5. Units directly under the Ministry, within their functions and responsibilities, shall cooperate with the Department of International Cooperation to carry out foreign affairs activities as assigned by the Ministry.

Article 6. Organization and management of outbound delegations

Implement according to Government Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2007 on exit and entry for Vietnamese citizens and the following provisions:

1. Decision to dispatch officials abroad:

a) The Minister approves each overseas mission of the Heads of Departments, Bureaus, Committees, Institutes, Schools, State-owned Enterprises, and Centers under the Ministry.

b) Personnel in the delegation led by a Ministry leader designated by the Minister based on the proposal of the International Cooperation Department in coordination with the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department;

c) Delegations using state budget funds must have the opinion of the Finance Department before proceeding with exit procedures;

d) Delegations under ODA and FDI programs, managed by the program managers, in collaboration with the International Cooperation Department, build the program, content, propose the list of personnel to be submitted to the Deputy Minister responsible for the sector for approval before transferring the file to the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department to handle the delegation departure procedures and issue the decision to dispatch the delegation abroad;

e) Heads of units decide to dispatch civil servants, employees, and staff from their units abroad according to the delegation authority granted by the Minister.

2. Organization of the trip:

a) The International Cooperation Department leads and coordinates with relevant units to develop plans for delegations led by Ministry leaders or participating in delegations led by Party, State, Government, and National Assembly leaders;

b) Units are responsible for developing plans for delegations led by unit leaders;

c) Officials going abroad for work or study must prepare the content of the mission including objectives, tasks, schedule, location, and budget for the mission for the Head of the Unit to approve.

3. Responsibilities:

a) During the time working abroad, officials must implement the approved plan, program, time, and budget, have the responsibility to maintain national secrets, and comply with the laws of the host country. In case there are requests outside the approved program, they must promptly seek guidance from the decision-making level;

b) Within ten days after the end of the work, study, tour, or survey abroad, the Head of the delegation or the dispatched official must report the results of the trip to the Head of the Unit or to the Ministry (where the trip was proposed); civil servants and employees must return their official passports to the organizational department of the unit. Management of official passports shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Government;

c) Delegations led by Ministry leaders, with the International Cooperation Department taking the lead, are responsible for reception arrangements;

4. Documents for outbound delegations include:

a) Original invitation letter from the partner and annual delegation plan already approved by the competent authority;

b) Request letter for dispatching the delegation signed by the Head of the Unit, specifying the purpose of the trip, destination country, departure date, name, position, or title, and cadre grade of the person to be dispatched;

c) Approval of the Minister (for the subjects mentioned in Point a, Clause 1 of this Article) or Deputy Minister responsible for the sector (for delegations mentioned in Point d, Clause 1 of this Article);

d) Personal history of the person to be dispatched, certified by the Head of the Unit, along with a copy of the labor contract (with the original for verification) if it is an indefinite-term contract worker.

Article 7. Organization and management of delegations entering

Implement according to Ordinance No. 24/2000/PL-UBTVQH10 dated April 28, 2000 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on entry, exit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam and the following provisions of the Ministry:

1. The Ministry's leadership:

a) Decides the plan for receiving foreign guests to work with the Ministry and its units;

b) Hosts receptions for invited guests of the Ministry's leadership and guests invited by the leadership of the Party, State, and National Assembly authorized to the Ministry's leadership to host.

2. The International Cooperation Department:

a) Processes procedures to invite delegations of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and heads of international organizations or equivalent levels from abroad to work in accordance with the law;

b) Leads external protocol work, serving delegations of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and equivalent levels such as organizing receptions, arranging transportation, meals, accommodation, and work, hospitality, gifts, seeing off guests, and other related protocol matters;

c) Handles procedures to apply for entry visas (visas) for experts working with the Ministry's units in accordance with current regulations.

3. Heads of units:

a) Are responsible for organizing receptions and managing the entire program of activities of guests during their stay in Vietnam in accordance with current regulations;

b) Advise the Ministry's leadership on external activities within the functions and responsibilities of their units.

Article 8. Reporting Responsibilities

1. Units under the Ministry must submit annual consolidated reports on the implementation of relevant contents regulated by this Regulation to the International Cooperation Department before November 5 for consolidation and reporting to the Ministry.

2. The International Cooperation Department is responsible for consolidating and reporting to the Ministry's leadership and relevant Ministries.

Chapter 3.

IMPLEMENTATION OF FOREIGN RELATIONS ACTIVITIES

Article 9. Receiving foreign guests

1. The Ministry's leadership works or receives delegations of the Party, State, Government, and National Assembly when requested.

For delegations of central ministries and local departments, heads of diplomatic missions, international organizations; representatives of programs, economic and social organizations requesting the Ministry's leadership to receive them, the International Cooperation Department prepares a report to the Ministry's leadership detailing information about the partner, the issues we need to address, the issues raised by the guest, and the objectives to be achieved.

When units request the Ministry's leadership to receive foreign guests, they must go through the International Cooperation Department to report to the Ministry's leadership and invite relevant units to participate.

In case of urgent requests by foreign guests to meet with the Ministry's leadership, the International Cooperation Department is responsible for recording, promptly reporting to the Ministry's leadership to seek instructions and respond to the guest.

2. When receiving foreign guests at the unit's headquarters, the unit's head actively organizes receptions and works with guests in accordance with the unit's functions, responsibilities, and authorities, and is responsible for the agreed contents. After the meeting, send the results to the International Cooperation Department for consolidation and reporting to the Ministry.

3. Staff assigned to attend receptions, conferences, and work with foreign guests must be familiar with the content of the work, wear appropriate attire, and arrive ten minutes early to participate in welcoming guests and handle any emergencies (if any).

Article 10. Organizing International Conferences and Seminars

The organization of international conferences and seminars shall be carried out in accordance with Decision No. 122/2001/QĐ-TTg dated August 21, 2001 of the Prime Minister on organizing and managing international conferences and seminars in Vietnam, and shall comply with the following provisions:

1. At least 30 days before organizing an international conference or seminar that requires permission from the Ministry, and at least 60 days for those requiring permission from the Prime Minister, the main organizing unit must submit a written request to the Ministry through the Department of International Cooperation, specifying the purpose, content, time, location, funding sources, co-organizing units, and participants (foreign and domestic). Such events may only be organized upon receiving approval from the Ministry's leadership.

2. Within 15 days after organizing an international conference or seminar, the main organizing unit must submit a report on the results to the Ministry (Department of International Cooperation using the attached template).

3. Annually, the Department of International Cooperation is responsible for compiling and reporting the results of international conferences and seminars of the Ministry to the Ministry of Home Affairs as prescribed.

Article 11. Organizing Domestic Tours and Surveys

1. The Department of International Cooperation is responsible for organizing domestic tours and surveys for guests of the Ministry when requested.

2. Heads of units are responsible to the Ministry for organizing tours and surveys for foreign guests of their units and must notify the local authorities in advance where the guests will visit to ensure coordination, protection, and security according to current regulations.

Article 12. Foreign Correspondence Work

Documents and materials related to international cooperation must be managed in accordance with state regulations and those of the Ministry:

1. The Ministry’s Office is responsible for transferring foreign correspondence documents to the designated recipients prepared by the units after consulting with the Department of International Cooperation.

2. Incoming documents in foreign languages presented to the Ministry's leadership for processing must be accompanied by a Vietnamese explanation.

3. Outgoing documents in foreign languages signed by the Ministry's leadership must be jointly reviewed by the Department of International Cooperation and must follow the format with the title issued by the Department of International Cooperation. The drafting unit is responsible for submitting the Vietnamese version.

4. Unit heads are authorized to sign foreign correspondence documents in foreign languages when delegated by the Minister.

5. The Department of International Cooperation serves as the point of contact with foreign partners for exchanging information and formal views of the Ministry.

Article 13. Providing Materials, Data, and Specimens to Foreign Countries

1. When exchanging and providing data, specimens, and materials to foreign partners, units must comply with current state and Ministry regulations, except for data and materials already publicly disclosed through mass media.

2. Providing confidential specimens and materials shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry and the state.

Article 14. Protection and External Information and Propaganda Work

1. The Ministry’s Office is responsible for security work when foreign guests visit the Ministry.

2. The Ministry’s Office leads and coordinates with relevant units to organize external information and propaganda.

3. Unit heads who have separate websites in foreign languages are responsible for the information posted on their unit’s website and must register in accordance with the law.

Chapter 4.

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 15. Implementation Provisions

1. The Director of the Department of International Cooperation is responsible for guiding, directing, inspecting the implementation of this Regulation, and regularly reporting to the Minister.

2. Unit heads are responsible for disseminating, urging, inspecting, and reporting the implementation of this Regulation within their units; they are jointly liable if staff in their units violate the Regulation.

3. During the implementation of this Regulation, if there are difficulties and it is necessary to adjust to fit actual conditions, unit heads must promptly reflect these issues to the Department of International Cooperation for consolidation and reporting to the Ministry's leadership for consideration and decision.