Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations. — Photo vov.vn

New York – Việt Nam this year continues to leave meaningful impressions at multilateral forums, including the United Nations (UN), contributing to enhancing its position and reputation among the global community, said Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations.

As 2023 is a volatile year with a series of conflicts, new and existing challenges intertwined, and complicated global security, Giang said against this backdrop, Việt Nam continued to prove itself as a responsible member that effectively contributed to the UN’s common efforts. Its meaningful contributions had stood out as Việt Nam had upheld its stance on supporting peace, development, respect for international law, multilateralism, and most importantly highlighting the importance of following the UN Charter across all pillars, from peace, security to development and protection of human rights.

According to him, a highlight of Việt Nam's diplomacy in 2023 is its successful assumption of the position of Vice President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA)’s 77th session from September 2022 - September 2023. Việt Nam has actively proposed and planned crucial decisions on various global issues, especially in the context that the UNGA has to handle an exceptionally busy agenda, possibly the busiest in many years.

Notably, Việt Nam has chaired several UNGA sessions, discussed and passed a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of states with respect to climate change, the High Seas Treaty, and resolutions on holding high-level meetings on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. It has worked with other countries to propose initiatives and solutions on various major issues, coordinated and directly negotiated the drafting of documents. In particular, Việt Nam has contributed ideas and initiatives to various ongoing processes at the UN to guide future directions, and continued playing an active role as a member of ASEAN, G-77, leading the Group of Friends on the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). All these partnership relations have solidified Việt Nam's diplomatic position at the UN forum.

This year, Việt Nam continues making significant contributions in its capacity as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure, the International Law Commission (2023-2027), the UNESCO Executive Board (2021-2025), and the Inter-Governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2022-2026).

On peace-security, Việt Nam has always actively stepped up joint efforts to enhance the role of the UN, and build a global governance system based on the rule of law and respect for the UN Charter and widely-recognised international standards. In the context of increasing strategic competition and confrontations, and numerous challenges to multilateral cooperation, it has incessantly called for strengthening trust, increasing solidarity and international responsibility, promoting dialogue and mutual understanding to peacefully settle all disputes, for the common goal of peace, national independence, democracy and progress in the world. Việt Nam has proactively contributed to and expanded its participation in UN peacekeeping activities, playing a part in preventing conflicts and building peace, particularly in hotspots in Africa.

In terms of development, Việt Nam continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It has been joining various core groups while proposing, coordinating, and negotiating numerous initiatives and cooperation documents on education, health care, water resource protection, energy transition, and climate change adaptation. Việt Nam remains actively engaged in implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), striving to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Việt Nam continues actively cooperating with UN mechanisms on human rights, defending national reports under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, and reports on the implementation of international human rights conventions of which it is a member.

Việt Nam also continues affirming a strong commitment to promoting multilateralism, with the UN at the centre, respecting the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law. This includes upholding the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, prioritising dialogue over confrontation, and peacefully settling disputes.

The Vietnamese diplomat cited UNICEF Representative in Việt Nam Rana Flowers as saying that Việt Nam is an active, proactive and responsible member in multilateral processes.

Forecasting a highly complex scenario with numerous uncertainties next year, Giang said Việt Nam would continue stepping up its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of external ties; comprehensive, extensive and effective global integration.

Việt Nam would actively prepare for and contribute to major UN processes, including the Summit of the Future, the high-level General Debate of the UNGA’s 79th session, the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in January 2024; seriously fulfil its international commitments; and continue upholding its role as a member of crucial UN mechanisms.

"The achievements and hallmarks that have been attained serve as a foundation to take pride in and believe that Việt Nam today is not only ready to be a reliable, constructive and responsible partner of the global community but also possesses the expertise and resources necessary to shoulder responsibilities commensurate with the country's new stature," Giang concluded. VNS