Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoài Thanh

NEW YORK — The upcoming participation of Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm in the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future and the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) reflects the highest level of political commitment, said Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly’s 78th session.

The visit takes place at a crucial time when the international community is determined to promote multilateralism to address a series of current global challenges, he added.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents, Francis highlighted the significance of the Vietnamese top leader’s trip and Việt Nam’s contributions to the UN’s operations, stating that the trip will contribute to elevating the relationship between Việt Nam and the UN to a new height.

Việt Nam is an active and responsible member, and it is continuously making significant contributions to the UN, he stressed, adding that in terms of international peacekeeping, Việt Nam has sent peacekeepers to hotspots around the world, including South Sudan, where he directly met with Vietnamese officers and soldiers.

Việt Nam has also made numerous contributions as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-26 tenure, the International Law Commission (ILC) for the 2023-27 term, and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said, noting that these successes reflect Việt Nam's strong commitment to core principles and values of the UN Charter, international law, and multilateralism in general.

For Việt Nam’s “bamboo diplomacy”, Francis said the policy represents a soft yet resolute approach that is highly dynamic and open, clearly reflecting Việt Nam's policy of fostering friendship with all nations around the world.

Francis said he is impressed by the policy, which contributes to promoting and strengthening multilateralism, demonstrating its rationality and effectiveness in the context of globalisation age.

With its "bamboo diplomacy" policy, Việt Nam has practical experience to share with countries in the Global South, which are lagging behind in their efforts to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), both in terms of development and peacekeeping.

Francis said he believed that the relationship between the UN and Việt Nam would continue to be strengthened following the top leader’s visit.

UNGA 79 will focus on promoting human dignity and rights, enhancing values in health and education, and strengthening peace and sustainable development, and these are also strong commitments of Việt Nam, he stated.

Meanwhile, the UN Summit of the Future will offer a venue for international leaders to promote solidarity and multilateralism to realise the UN’s goals, he said, adding that Lâm’s trip is an opportunity for Việt Nam to strongly reaffirm its commitment. — VNA/VNS