Hanoi (VNA)✤ – On behalf of the Politburo, Permanent member of the Party CentralCommittee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong has signed off Directive No. 14-CT/TW onthe continued enhancement of the Party’s leadership over the Vietnam Lawyers’Association (VLA) in the new context.

The directivenoted that over the past years, under the 8th-tenure Politburo’sDirective No. 56-CT/TW and the 11th-tenure Secretariat’s Conclusion No.19-KL/TW on the VLA, all-level Party committees, organisations, andadministrations have boosted the development and activities of the VLA chaptersat all levels. It pointed out shortcomingsin the VLA’s apparatus, especially at the grassroots level, some members’ limited expertise and sense of responsibility, and ineffective activities insome places. Notably, some Party committees and organisations have yet to befully aware of the VLA’s position, role, and specific characteristics in thepolitical system, so they haven’t paid due attention to the association’sactivities. Given this,to continue enhancing the Party’s leadership and further bring into play theVLA’s role in the new context, the Politburo demanded all-level Partycommittees and organisations improve their awareness of the VLA’s position,role, and responsibility; consolidate the VLA’s apparatus; step up personnel trainingin political thought, morality, and expertise; and promote member examinationand supervision. The VLA was requested to strongly reform activities; improve the quality of itsparticipation in the lawmaking process; increase disseminating the Party’sguidelines and the State’s policies and laws; actively give legal advice andassistance to people, especially low-income earners and those in remote areas; proactivelytake part in judicial and administrative reforms, corruption prevention andcontrol, and the selection and training of judges and procurators. In addition, the Politburo orderedpromoting the VLA’s role in people-to-people diplomacy, expanding the association’scooperation with progressive organisations and people in the region and theworld, popularising the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws toother countries to reject hostile forces’ wrongful arguments and distortions,and encouraging overseas Vietnamese lawyers to contribute to the homeland’sdevelopment. The VLA was also asked toproactively consider and advise the Party and State about legal grounds for sovereigntyand territory safeguarding to help defend national interests, according to thedirective./.