UN Security Council meeting in New York on December 10. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — Ambassador Phạm Hải Anh, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of Việt Nam to the United Nations, chaired a periodical meeting of the UN Security Council’s Informal Working Group on International Tribunals in New York on Friday (US time).

This is the fourth and also final meeting chaired by Việt Nam in its post as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-21 tenure.

In his opening remarks, Anh thanked members of the working group for their cooperative and constructive contributions.

In the past two years, as the Chair of the working group, Việt Nam has helped promote dialogue between the group and the Chair and the prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) to complete the mechanism’s tasks assigned by the UNSC, thus promoting the observance of the UN Charter and international law, he added.

Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Stephen Mathias hailed the efforts of the judge, and staff of the IRMCT in overcoming difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain and speed up the judging activities.

He also lauded the cooperative attitude and efforts of the group’s members, especially Việt Nam’s performance as the Chair of the group in maintaining the group’s operations and dialogues with the mechanism amidst the complicated situation.

The Informal Working Group on International Tribunals was established in June 2000 to deal with a specific issue pertaining to the statute of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (ICTY).

It was subsequently mandated to deal with other legal issues pertaining to ICTY as well as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1994 (ICTR).

Dialogue in Sudan

The same day, Ambassador Anh participated in a meeting of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) regarding activities of the 1591 Committee concerning Sudan and the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), and called on parties concerned in Sudan to continue to exercise restraint to avoid escalating tensions.

The ambassador urged the parties to promote dialogue and reconciliation, in accordance with the 2019 Constitutional Declaration.

He welcomed recent efforts to foster stability in Sudan, including the November 21 political agreement. 

Anh said the situation in Sudan and Darfur has seen many economic challenges, humanitarian crises, violence between communities and impacts of natural disasters and the COVID‑19 pandemic.

He called on relevant authorities to protect civilians, promote dialogue and build trust between communities.

He expressed his hope that the international community will increase humanitarian aid and support the settlement of economic challenges in Sudan, while underlining the importance of ensuring security and safety for UN and UNITAMS staff. — VNS