Though the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on traditional diplomatic activities, digital connections have made it easier for diplomats to fulfill their missions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has singled out Vietnam for its effective and rapid vaccine diplomacy strategy, describing it as a success story and desiring to share it with other regional countries.

Once left behind in vaccine coverage, Vietnam managed to become the 53rd country in the world achieving the goal of covering basic doses of COVID-19 vaccine for 70 per cent of its population after just a few months.

Vietnam’s great efforts in vaccine diplomacy helped obtain commitments for over 100 million vaccine doses in 2021, which allowed it to launch its biggest ever vaccination campaign.

Vaccine diplomacy isn’t just about calling international partners and organizations to continue providing vaccine aid, but also about seeking vaccine purchases and negotiating for vaccine production technology transfer.

Vietnam plans to receive 34 million vaccine doses in October and more by the end of the year. It is creating a master vaccination plan for 2022, including vaccinations for children.

In the relentless efforts to control the epidemic, vaccine diplomacy has become a key factor. 

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, who doubles as deputy head of the Government Working Group on Vaccine Diplomacy, talks about Vietnam’s efforts to effectively implement the vaccine diplomacy.

The German Government has decided to offer Vietnam 2.5 million doses of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine, as informed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 4.

Through vaccine diplomacy, Vietnam has so far received millions of vaccine doses from the support of the international community.

The CEO of AstraZeneca, Pascal Soriot, has pledged to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam on time and increase vaccine supplies to the country this month.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, head of the newly-established government working group on vaccine diplomacy, talks with the media about the group’s tasks and role.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 18 sent a letter to President of the European Council Charles Michel suggesting the European Union (EU) share COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam, in an effort to step up the vaccine diplomacy strategy.

A government working group on COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, has been set up under a decision signed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Thanks to “vaccine diplomacy”, Vietnam has received more than 15 million doses of covid-19 vaccine, with more than 12 million doses allocated to epidemic-hit localities in July alone.

Vaccine diplomacy is one of the strategies Vietnam is pursuing to secure supply of foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines as fast and many as possible to combat the pandemic,