Vietnam considers cooperation with UN a top priority: State President

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State President Tran Dai Quang

The president stressed that the admission of Vietnam as an official member of the UN on September 20, 1977 is an important event for the country. 

The Vietnamese State and people always treasure the valuable and practical assistance that the UN has provided for Vietnam, he added.

The President recalled that in the late 1970s and early 1980s, UN assistance made up 60 percent of total foreign aid to Vietnam. When the country embarked on the cause of Doi Moi (renewal), industrialization, modernisation and international integration, the organisation has provided hundreds of millions of USD in aid each year. 

The UN’s aid is of great help for Vietnam to realise its socio-economic development goals and become one of the nations to fulfill the UN Millennium Development Goals soon, he said.

As an active and responsible member of the international community, Vietnam regards the cooperative ties with the UN as one of the top priorities in its external affairs policies, President Quang said.

According to the State leader, since the first days of joining the UN, Vietnam has been proactively and actively involved in UN activities. International friends have acknowledged Vietnam’s role in world movements for national independence, sovereignty and right of self-determination as well as in those to stop arms race and advocate comprehensive and full disarmament, he added.

The international community also recognised Vietnam’s active contributions to the building and implementation of UN treaties and conventions along with the building of an equal, transparent and effective global multilateral institution, meeting the mankind’s aspiration, he said.

The President stressed that Vietnam upholds the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter in addressing international conflicts and disputes through peaceful means, and attaches importance to the central role of the UN in maintaining peace and security around the world. 

He noted that Vietnam is leading in the implementation of the UN initiative of “Delivering As One”, and is also striving to implement successfully the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, the Paris agreement on climate change, and the UN initiative on coping with El Nino and La Nina and peacekeeping activities.

With its efforts and effective contributions to the UN activities and development, Vietnam has won the trust of the international community, which was demonstrated by the high number of votes to elect the country to UN agencies, particularly the UN Security Council (the 2008-2009 tenure), the UN Economic and Social Council (the 1998-2000 and 2016-2018 tenures), the UN Human Rights Council (the 2014-2016 tenure), the UNESCO Executive Council (the 2015-2019 tenure), and the International Law Commission (the 2017-2021 tenure). 

Talking about the future of the relations between Vietnam and the UN, President Tran Dai Quang said under the 12th Party Congress’ Resolution of proactively participating in and promoting the role at multilateral mechanisms, especially ASEAN and the UN, Vietnam will enhance the cooperation with the UN in a deeper and more effective manner, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region and around the world. 

Vietnam vows to stand side by side with other member countries to promote fundamental principles of the UN Chapter and international law along with equal, friendly and cooperative relations among nations, ensuring legitimate interests of all countries, especially developing ones, the President said.

Vietnam will increase its involvement in the UN peacekeeping activities and support the UN reform efforts towards increasing efficiency, transparency and democracy in all activities. 

The country is committed to fulfilling its role as a member in UN mechanisms and takes the lead in proposing specific initiatives in fields of priority. 

President Quang said Vietnam is running for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, with the hope to make active and pragmatic contributions to the UN efforts in safeguarding international peace and security. 

He said Vietnam and the UN will focus on implementing the Joint One Strategic Plan for the 2017-2021 period signed between the two sides last July, adding that the plan with four priorities is expected to assist Vietnam in implementing the sustainable development strategy in 2011-2020, the socio-economic development plan in 2016-2020, and the UN sustainable development goals. 

The plan will lay an important foundation for the country to carry out specific cooperation activities with the UN in the years to come, the President said.