Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, addresses the plenary session held by the UN General Assembly on February 7 to discuss UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ priorities for 2024.— VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — A Vietnamese diplomat stressed that peace and stability are the prerequisite for seeking solutions to global challenges while attending a plenary session held by the UN General Assembly on February 7 to discuss UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ priorities for 2024.

In his remarks at the event, Secretary-General Guterres voiced his concern over the worsening violence, instability, geopolitical division, and conflicts threatening international peace and security.

The top priority of the UN is to promote peace and prevent wars and conflicts, he said, emphasising that to cope with such global challenges as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, humanitarian crises, and terrorism, countries need to make joint efforts and comprehensively reform multilateral systems, from the UN Security Council to international economic - financial institutions.

Addressing the session, Ambassador Đặng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, shared the Secretary-General’s concern about the instability and multidimensional crises facing the international community.

To seek solutions to those global challenges, he stressed peace and stability form the prerequisite, and that member states need to comply with international law and the UN Charter, refrain from the use of force, and resolve disputes by peaceful means.

Regarding the Summit of the Future – a priority of the UN for 2024, Giang said this will be a chance for enhancing international cooperation, making reforms, and implementing the international community’s common commitment to peace, prosperity, and sustainable development for future generations.

Việt Nam will actively contribute to this process with a people-centred approach, he added.

On this occasion, the ambassador highly valued Guterres’ leadership role in promoting international assistance for the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate finance, including the adoption of such initiatives as the SDG Stimulus and the Just Energy Transition Partnership.

Việt Nam will join other UN member states in supporting and making efforts to carry out the abovementioned initiatives of the Secretary-General for the sake of common goals, he stated. — VNS