HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Ambassador to Kuwait Nguyễn Hồng Thao was officially elected a member of the UN International Law Commission (ILC), Vietnam News Agency reported.

This is the first time Việt Nam has a representative at an important organ of the UN.

With 120 out of 191 votes at the UN General Assembly, Thao was among seven contenders from the Asian-Pacific region at the commission.

Ambassador Nguyễn Phương Nga, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam at the UN, told the media that the event was a matter of great pride for Việt Nam, showing the appreciation of the world of ambassador Thao and also the country’s position, prestige and increasingly deep engagement at the UN and at multilateral forums. It is also a recognition by the global community on Việt Nam’s positive and responsible contributions to international affairs.

“This is also the result of tireless attempts over the past one year by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas representative agencies of the country, including Việt Nam’s Permanent Delegation to the UN, to introduce and take advantage of global support for the Vietnamese nominee,” she said.

Ambassador Thao said he would actively take part in discussions on the themes that ILC is studying, especially those that are urgent and necessary for Việt Nam and the world. They include protecting people from natural disasters, protecting the environment during armed conflicts, temporary application of international treaties and identifying international practices. 

With nearly 40 years of experience in legal and diplomatic affairs, particularly in international public law, laws on environment and sea and border delimitation, Thao was confident about representing Việt Nam and other developing countries at the ILC. 

Ambassador Thao is an international law expert with consistent academic background as a Doctor with profound experience, according to the news agency.

He was deputy head of the National Border Committee, head of the negotiation teams on border agreements with neighbouring countries and a legal advisor to the drafting process of the 2012 maritime law.

From 2011 to 2014, he was the Vietnamese ambassador to Malaysia. He has been Việt Nam’s ambassador to Kuwait since 2014.

The country launched a campaign for the election of Ambassador Thao to the new post in February 2016.

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation to the UN, the World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva sent a diplomatic note to introduce Thao to delegations from other countries.

ILC, UN’s subsidiary organ established in 1947, is in charge of compiling international treaties, drafting international conventions and studying major issues related to international laws.

The commission has 34 members, elected once every five years. Its members are professors, experienced diplomats and lawyers well-versed in international laws, working independently  from the countries that nominate them. — VNS