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The resolution on recognizing Vietnam as a U.N. member was approved at the opening ceremony of the 32nd session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, the U.S, on September 20, 1977. |
FM Son has written an article entitled “45 years of Vietnam - U.N. relations: Reliable partnership for peace, cooperation and development,” in which he emphasized cooperation with the U.N. is always an important part of the Party and State’s foreign policies, showing the determination and aspiration of the Vietnamese people to join hands with the world community for peace, national independence, democracy, cooperation and development.
The diplomat noted that the U.N. is the world's largest multilateral organization holding the mission of maintaining international peace and security, promoting friendly cooperation and development of nations around the world.
He recalled that in Vietnam’s renewal cause, the partnership between Vietnam and the U.N. has developed strongly, deeply and effectively. He underlined that U.N. programs and projects have importantly contributed to the reform and international integration of Vietnam, especially the development of socio-economic infrastructure, education and healthcare, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, environmental protection, and sharing of development experience in many fields.
According to the foreign minister, thanks to the promotion of its self-reliance and effective use of external resources, the country has gained many important development achievements and received high appreciation from the U.N. and the international community.
He gave examples that Vietnam showed early completion of five out of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and effective implementation of the “Delivering as One” reform initiative, while making efforts to finish the Agenda 2030 on sustainable development and fulfilling its commitments on carbon neutralization by 2050.
The Vietnamese diplomat also noted that during the hardest COVID-19 period, Vietnam received great support in vaccine and medical equipment from the U.N. through the World Health Organization and the COVAX Facility, contributing to the country’s effective control of COVID-19 and safe adaption to the new normal.
He pointed out that through the tripartite cooperation model with the assistance of the U.N., Vietnam has actively shared its knowledge and experience learnt from the renewal process with other developing countries, especially in the field of economic reform, international integration, agricultural, health care and education development.
The foreign minister emphasized that experiencing years of war, Vietnam respects the values of peace. He quoted U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres as commenting that Vietnam is an important factor of peace and stability in the region and the world.
He stressed that Vietnam has persistently upheld international law and fundamental foundation of the U.N. Charter and worked hard to promote the search for long-term and comprehensive solutions to conflicts. While acting as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council in the 2008-2009 and 2020-2021 terms, Vietnam proposed many initiatives and solutions to global issues, such as the International Day for Disease Prevention and Control (December 27), the establishment of a Group of Friends on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, settlement of consequences of unexploded ordnance (UXO), protection of essential infrastructure during conflicts, and enhancement of the U.N. and ASEAN’s collaboration in maintaining regional peace and security.
So far, Vietnam has sent 512 military officers and four police officers to U.N. peacekeeping missions in Africa and U.N. headquarters, affirming its high sense of responsibility to the international security and promoting the good images of Uncle Ho’s soldiers as envoys of peace and friendship.
In terms of human rights, Vietnam is upholding dialogue and cooperation, promoting the spirit of humanity and compassion, putting the people at the center of development, sharing achievements and experiences in protecting fundamental human rights, and ensuring justice and social progress. After the 2014-2016 term as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council, the country is running for a seat at the council in the 2023-2025 term to continue contributing to the promotion of human rights in the world.
With its achievements of the renewal cause and positive contribution to the common efforts of the international community, Vietnam has been trusted and elected to many important U.N. organizations such as the U.N. Security Council (2008-2009 and 2020-2021 terms), U.N. Socio-Economic Council (1998-2000, 2016-2018 terms), U.N. Human Rights Council (2014-2016 term), International Law Commission (2017-2021 and 2023-2027 terms), UNDP Executive Board, U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) (2000-2002 term), and the Executive Board of the UNESCO (1978-1983, 2001-2005, 2009-2013, 2015-2019, and 2021-2025 terms).
With a high sense of responsibility and substantive contribution to the common work of the U.N., Vietnam has clearly shown the position, identity and mettle of Vietnam's diplomacy in the Ho Chi Minh era, strongly spreading the message of an independent, self-reliant, innovative, peace-loving, international law respecting, reliable, sincere and responsible member of the international community.
The diplomat said that the cooperation between Vietnam and the U.N. over the past 45 years has made an important contribution to strengthening a peaceful and stable environment, promoting comprehensive and extensive international integration, and taking advantage of external resources for national development, and improving Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena.
He underlined that the 13th National Party Congress continued to affirm the important position of the U.N. in the foreign relations orientations and policies of the Party and State of Vietnam, defining the need to continue enhancing multilateral external relations, actively engaging in and promoting its role in multilateral mechanisms, especially the ASEAN, the U.N. and important cooperation frameworks and mechanisms of strategic importance, suitable to the requirements, capabilities and conditions of the country.
In realizing those policies, Vietnam has continued to attach great importance to and strengthen cooperation with the U.N., staying persistent to independence and self-reliance, ensuring the highest interests of the country and nation on the basis of the U.N. Charter and the basic principles of international law, equality, cooperation and mutual benefit, striving to promote the core, leading and mediation role in international issues when conditions permit, while continuing to promote multilateral cooperation and collaboration between the U.N. and regional organizations, including ASEAN, to jointly find long-term solutions to security and development challenges in the world.
In his article, FM Son also stressed the need to enhance the quality of diplomatic officials to increase their presence at U.N. organizations.
He affirmed that with the motto of “activeness, pro-activeness, faithfulness, reliability, and responsibility,” Vietnam will continue to work hard to contribute to reinforcing the U.N. centrality in the global management system for sustainable peace, independence of states, democracy, cooperation and social progress.
Translated by Chung Anh