Vietnam and IOM cooperate on safe and legal migration governance

On July 30, as part of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s working visit to Switzerland, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long led the Vietnamese delegation in a meeting with Ms. Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Attending the meeting on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long highly appreciated the leadership role of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in advancing global migration governance, particularly its effective implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).

He noted that after nearly two decades of cooperation, Vietnam and IOM have achieved significant milestones in supporting labor migrants, combating human trafficking, preventing irregular migration, and providing assistance for voluntary return and reintegration, especially for victims of trafficking.

In response to the challenges currently facing IOM, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long emphasized that this is also a timely opportunity for the organization to review and restructure its operations to enhance effectiveness in the new phase.

As one of the countries most heavily affected by climate change, Vietnam has made strong commitments to climate action, promoting green transition, circular economy, and low-emission development.

Vietnam has recently adopted several new legal frameworks directly relevant to IOM’s areas of work, including the Law on Climate Change, the Law on National Defense, and the revised Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking, which officially took effect in July this year. However, the scale of these challenges requires coordinated support not only at the national level but also at regional and global levels.

“To minimize the impacts of climate change on internal migration, I propose that IOM continue to accompany Vietnam in promoting safe and legal migration, and in protecting the legitimate rights of migrants,” he stated.

“Vietnam looks forward to IOM’s support in strengthening migration governance capacity and sharing international experience on policies and models for climate-adaptive migration. We also seek technical assistance for pre-departure awareness-raising programs for migrant workers, as well as support for communities affected by natural disasters, thereby enhancing their resilience and adaptive capacity,” he added.

Speaking at the meeting, IOM Director General Amy Pope acknowledged Vietnam’s strong commitment to promoting safe, orderly, and legal migration. She also welcomed the recent amendments to Vietnam’s Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking.

“The revised law has expanded protection for victims, including those who have been deceived into online scam centers or subjected to emerging forms of exploitation such as illegal surrogacy. These are important changes that reflect current realities and help ensure that victims can access appropriate support services,” she remarked.

In the coming period, IOM will continue to prioritize humanitarian activities, particularly disaster response, and will work closely with Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to promptly implement support measures for affected communities.

“I’m pleased to share that IOM’s operations in Vietnam have remained stable, supported by a diverse range of funding sources. We will continue to provide technical assistance, policy advice, and capacity building aligned with Vietnam’s stated priorities, ranging from internal migration to climate-induced displacement,” she stated.

“In addition, we encourage Vietnam to consider joining the Resilience Building Campaign - an initiative aimed at mobilizing contributions to IOM’s core budget to ensure stable and effective operations worldwide,” she added.

Vietnam fully supports IOM’s vision of promoting migration that is stable, well-managed, sustainable, and adaptive. “In Vietnam, we have a saying that closely reflects this spirit: Give a fishing rod, not a fish. Instead of offering short-term assistance, we should equip people with the tools and capabilities to take charge of their own future and achieve sustainable development,” emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long.

Regarding the Resilience Building Campaign, the Vietnamese side acknowledged IOM’s proposal and stated that it would be carefully considered, based on current conditions and capacities, to ensure any contribution is both appropriate and effective.