UNSC meeting held on Monday (US time) in New York. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — Việt Nam, as Chair of the UN Security Council (UNSC) Committee established pursuant to Resolution 2206 concerning South Sudan, on Monday (US time) briefed the council on the committee's operations over the past two years.

Ambassador Phạm Hải Anh, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of Việt Nam to the United Nations, underlined that despite difficulties from COVID-19, Việt Nam has exerted efforts to implement activities of the committee and complete its tasks in a transparent, subjective and responsible manner. The country organised 11 online meetings, sent 85 letters and adopted 10 exemption requests and two press statements.

Việt Nam was the first country to hasten efforts to make Committee 2206 the first UNSC agency to resume in-person meetings in June 2021, he noted.

Particularly, Việt Nam worked to organise the first field trip by the Chair and members of Committee 2206 to South Sudan in November this year. This was the first visit that the committee had paid to South Sudan after two years and the first since the transitional Government was formed in 2020, he said.

The visit helped members of the committee understand the real situation in South Sudan as well as progress in the implementation of the Peace Agreement 2018 as well as review criteria under Resolution 2577 (2021), which would create the basis for the UNSC to review and consider adjusting or lifting the arms embargo in 2022.

The Vietnamese diplomat said that priorities in the office tenure of Việt Nam are to promote cooperation between the committee, the UN Panel of Experts on South Sudan, and South Sudan.

The Vietnamese representative expressed hope that the committee will continue to maintain and promote dialogue and partnership with South Sudan and regional countries to implement relevant resolutions and support South Sudan. He said he hopes the next field trip will be made not only to South Sudan but other countries in the region, so that the UNSC will have a closer insight.

The same day, speaking after a UNSC discussion on a draft resolution submitted by Ireland and Nigeria on climate security, which was not adopted due to a vote against by a non-permanent member, Ambassador Hải Anh said that Việt Nam supports an overall approach to climate change response as well as the important role of the UNSC in the common efforts of the international community as well as the whole UN system.

Việt Nam calls on all UNSC members to continue consulting and cooperating in a spirit of consensus and solidarity for common interest, aiming to strengthen actions by the UNSC and the UN regarding an issue of leading concern of the mankind, he stated.

As one of the countries hardest hit by climate change, Việt Nam gives top priority to this issue, and pledges to continue to actively, proactively and constructively engage in the efforts at UN agencies as well as other multilateral forums, stated the ambassador.

The same day, Ambassador Hải Anh took part in another UNSC meeting on the implementation of various provisions of the UN Security Council Resolution 2529 (2020).

He welcomed efforts by the principals and staff of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in the implementation progress and showed support for the Mechanism to complete judicial activities and functions on schedule.

The diplomat emphasised that states hold top responsibility in prosecuting and judging serious international crimes, therefore, assistance for countries to improve judicial capacity is necessary.

At the final meeting of Việt Nam on this issue as a non-member member of the UNSC for 2020-21 tenure and Chairman of the Informal Working Group on International Courts, Ambassador Hải Anh affirmed that Việt Nam is committed to promoting compliance with the UN Charter and international law in maintaining peace and international security.

Việt Nam hopes that the UNSC will maintain consensus and solidarity in supporting the Mechanism, he added.

UNSC member countries spoke highly of contributions made by Việt Nam as Chairman of the Informal Working Group on International Courts over the past two years, especially its efforts to boost collaboration between the UNSC and the Mechanism. — VNS