Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Hằng. VNA/VNS Photos

NEW YORK - Việt Nam’s re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026-2028 term, with 180 votes, the highest among Asia-Pacific candidates competing for seats in this body, affirms the country’s rising international position and reputation, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Hằng.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, she underscored that the result reflects international recognition of the country's socio-economic achievements over the recent past as well as its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights while ensuring social welfare and improving living standards for its citizens. This high level of trust also reaffirms the consistent foreign policy of the Party and State, and the outcomes of the multilateral diplomacy in recent years.

The diplomat noted that the re-election, coming just as the country is about to complete its current 2023-2025 tenure, demonstrates the international community’s strong confidence in Việt Nam’s balanced approach to human rights cooperation and dialogue. She highlighted that the result shows the world’s expectations and trust in the country’s role in and contributions to promoting human rights cooperation amidst complicated developments across the globe.

She attributed the success to the meticulous guidance from the Party, State and Government, coupled with coordinated diplomatic outreach and communications campaigns harmoniously carried out across multiple levels. Vietnamese representative offices abroad, particularly the missions in New York and Geneva, played a crucial frontline role, working alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, and various ministries and agencies who are members of inter-ministerial mechanisms on human rights, as well as news agencies and media outlets.

Việt Nam’s success in the UNHRC election, alongside its upcoming hosting of the Opening for the Signature of the UN Convention against Cybercrime on October 25-26, is a vivid demonstration of its swift, effective, and substantive implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No 59 on international integration in the new situation, affirming a new posture for Việt Nam - transitioning from a proactive and responsible partner of the international community to an active and responsible contributor to shaping global issues.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Hằng cast the Việt Nam's vote.

According to the Deputy Minister, during the 2023-2025 term, Việt Nam has pursued the motto of “Respect and Understanding – Dialogue and Cooperation – All Human Rights for All.” It has also identified eight priority areas, including improving the effectiveness of the UNHRC, ensuring human rights in climate change and digital transformation, promoting gender equality, protecting vulnerable groups, and promoting the right to health, the right to work, human rights education and the right to education.

These are long-term orientations and priorities, aligned with the international community’s concerns about human rights as well as Việt Nam’s interests and cooperation needs in this field. Therefore, Việt Nam will continue to uphold these principles and priorities as a UNHRC member for the 2026-2028 term and beyond, stated Hằng.

In addition, in the process of promoting initiatives and strengthening cooperation with other countries at the council in the coming period, Việt Nam will place greater emphasis on priorities associated with the shared concerns of the international community in addressing today’s urgent global challenges, as well as on areas identified as key to creating breakthroughs for the country’s entry into a new era of development. These include priorities related to science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, education, and health care, she said.

The official noted that the country’s assumption of this position will also require broader, fuller, and more effective participation and contributions from ministries, sectors, agencies within the political system, as well as from mass organisations and people’s organisations in appropriate forms.

She expressed her belief that with the broad support of the international community as reflected in the votes, and with the effective engagement and contributions of the entire political system, Việt Nam’s upcoming 2026-2028 term as a UNHRC member will be a great success, contributing to the efficient implementation of the Party’s foreign policy, as well as the sound and important guidelines of the Party and State on the protection and promotion of human rights. VNA/VNS