Department of State Official visiting Vietnam to Discuss on Adoptions

Special Advisor for Children's Issues Ambassador Susan Jacobs was in Vietnam from March 21 – 26 of 2010 to meet with the government officials and discuss the progress of Vietnam on implementing the policies of Hague Convention.
According to her updates from the ChildrensIssues Twitter:

• Mar 21: I'm in Vietnam. So excited to kick off the first adoptions training course for State Department personnel!
• Mar 21: Wide range of experience & knowledge in adoption issues & great sharing going on. Glad USCIS is here to train us on full scope of issues.
• Mar 22: Great day at adoption training. Saw special needs orphans being cared for at a government orphanage in VIetnam. Validates our work.
• Mar 23: Adoption training focused on Hague Convention 2day. All engaged on learning benefits of Hague & how to best protect interests of children.
• Mar 23: I also had the opportunity to visit orphanages in Danang today. I saw firsthand what child welfare looks like in Vietnam.
• Mar 24: Good discussion today at adoption course on how to transition countries from bilateral intercountry adoption to Hague Adoption Convention.
• Mar 25: Great meetings with UNICEF. Discuss the future of adoptions in Vietnam. Learned a lot about domestic child welfare & protection systems.
• Mar 25: I'm excited to see positive changes in Vietnamese law since the beginning of the year which really focus on the best interest of the child.
• Mar 29: Back from Vietnam & Cambodia. Positive responses from officials in both countries. Happy to be home.

In 2010, the Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands, Huynh Minh Chinh, signed the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-Country Adoption.
Vietnamese government is in the process of implementing the Hague regulations to restructure the child welfare and adoption systems in the country. A new Adoption Law has been introduced, and new adoption central authority office has been established. According to news from the country, Vietnam is planning to file the Articles of Ratification with Hague in mid 2011. This will help Vietnam obtain the full member status in Hague Convention.