Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (R) and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. —  VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — Việt Nam values and supports the United Nations’ central role in global governance, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính told UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related meetings in Vientiane, Laos, on October 11.

PM Chính congratulated the UN on the recent success of the Summit of the Future in New York and commended the role of the UN Secretary-General and UN agencies in maintaining peace and stability, narrowing gaps, and driving global development.

He thanked the UN for offering invaluable cooperation and support to Việt Nam’s Đổi mới (renewal) and development over nearly four decades.

Việt Nam will continue to support multilateralism and international law, make contributions to global efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation, and effectively participate in the UN peacekeeping mission, he said, suggesting the UN further assist Việt Nam in improving its resilience and response to natural disasters, climate change adaptation, and energy transition.

Guterres, in turn, praised Việt Nam as a model of peace and sustainable development, referring to the nation as the "star of ASEAN". He also lauded Việt Nam's role in amplifying the voice and influence of developing countries on the global stage.

He expressed his desire to work closely with Việt Nam to realise the key outcomes of the Summit of the Future and encouraged Việt Nam to continue leading global efforts in promoting peace, stability, inclusive development, and sustainability. The UN Secretary-General fully endorsed PM Chính’s “people-centred, inclusive” approach to addressing global challenges such as natural disasters, climate change, population ageing, and resource depletion.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen ASEAN-UN relations, highlighting ASEAN’s role as a bridge to foster dialogue and cooperation amid the complex global and regional landscapes with emerging conflicts and disputes.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese PM thanked the UN and its agencies for their active coordination in helping Việt Nam recover from the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.

The Vietnamese Government leader extended a formal invitation to the UN Secretary-General to visit Việt Nam, and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure and promised to make the trip in the near future. — VNA/VNS