Deputy Foreign Minister Đỗ Hùng Việt (centre) speaks at the UPR session adopting Vietnam national report. — VNA/VNS Photo

GENEVA — The United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group adopted Việt Nam’s National Report under UNHRC’s fourth cycle on May 10.

The working group’s report acknowledged Việt Nam’s national report, content of the dialogue on May 7 and 320 recommendations made by 133 countries.

The recommendations covered many fields, including perfecting the legal system, policies on human rights, promoting socio-economic development programmes, poverty reduction, ensuring rights of vulnerable groups, supporting minority ethnic groups, ensuring gender equality, the rights of children, the right to education, the right to freedom of religion and belief, the right to freedom of speech, human rights and business, human rights and climate change, participation in a number of international convention on human rights, and cooperation with the UNHRC’s mechanisms, among others.

Addressing the approval session, Việt Nam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Đỗ Hùng Việt reinstated the importance of the UPR mechanism, saying that the implementation of UPR recommendations throughout the review cycles supports Việt Nam’s efforts to promote and protect human rights.

He affirmed that Việt Nam will carefully study the recommendations and announce the country’s stance on them before the 57th session of the UNHRC.

Việt Nam wishes to strengthen cooperation with countries, partners and related parties in accordance with its principle during its 2023-25 tenure as a member of the UNHRC, which is “Respect and understanding, dialogue and cooperation, all human rights for all people,” the deputy foreign minister said.

In the time ahead, the Foreign Ministry and ministries and agencies in the working group for UPR of Việt Nam will review, assess and make recommendations to the Prime Minister regarding the country’s position about the recommendations, which will be announced ahead of the 57th session of the UNHRC slated for October this year.

During the 57th session, the UNHRC is expected to officially approve a report on the results of the UPR review for Việt Nam. — VNS