Representatives of countries congratulate deputy foreign minister Lê Hoài Trung at the UN headquarters on Friday after the election. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary, State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng has said Việt Nam is a trustworthy partner for sustainable peace in a message following the country’s election to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2020-21 tenure.

At a plenary session of the UN General Assembly on Friday, Việt Nam was elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for 2020-21 after getting 192 votes out of the 193 member countries and territories of the UN.

In his message, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, the leader offered sincere thanks to UN member states for supporting and electing Việt Nam to this post for a second time.

He said this represents recognition and appreciation from the international community of the country’s role and contributions to international and regional work. It also shows the growing stature and prestige of Việt Nam in the international arena.

He noted it is a great honour for Việt Nam to become a non-permanent member of the UNSC, affirming the country’s foreign policy. However, it is also a heavy responsibility that requires Việt Nam to make utmost efforts to fulfil the tasks assigned by the international community.

Việt Nam has been implementing a consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, and active global integration; being a friend, trustworthy partner and responsible member of the international community; and promoting the compliance with the UN Charter and international law, thereby actively contributing to global joint efforts for peace, cooperation and development, he said.

The Party and State leader added with the new resolve, strong belief in the whole Party and people’s strength and will, efforts and smooth, effective coordination among all-level authorities, ministries and sectors, along with the people’s support, Việt Nam will successfully play its role as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, deserving its position as a trustworthy partner for sustainable peace.

Active contributions

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc wrote an article entitled “Partnership for sustainable peace: Việt Nam stands ready to make active contributions to international efforts for global peace, security, development and progress” after the election.

When joining the UNSC for the first time in the 2008-09 tenure, Việt Nam, with the support of UN members, successfully fulfilled its assigned tasks in line with international law and the UN Charter, helping to ease tensions and promoting cooperation and settlement of peace and security issues in many regions across the world, PM Phúc wrote.

With a foreign policy of peace, independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, Việt Nam has actively joined important multilateral organisations and forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and successfully hosted significant international events, including most recently the APEC Year 2017 and the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN 2018. 

The country has also actively participated in UN peacekeeping operations, successfully deployed a level-2 field hospital to South Sudan for the UN peacekeeping mission in October 2018, and successfully hosted the second DPRK-USA Summit in February 2019, gradually upholding its role as a mediator in regional and global peace and security issues. 

Over more than three decades of comprehensive reform and global integration, Việt Nam’s annual gross domestic product has grown by 6.67 per cent on average, rising to 7.08 per cent last year, the PM wrote.

Việt Nam was among few countries to fulfil the UN millennial development goals 2015 ahead of schedule, especially the goal regarding poverty reduction, according to the article.

The country also formed strategic and comprehensive partnerships with 28 countries around the world, including all five permanent members of the UNSC. 

Amid the fourth industrial revolution, the emergence of nationalism and populism, and geo-political competition among major countries, the UN faces both challenges and opportunities, the PM wrote, adding that the UN needs to urge all countries, especially small- and medium-sized nations, to rally resources and seek long-term solutions to present global challenges. 

During the first year of serving as UNSC non-permanent member, Việt Nam will also take over the role as ASEAN Chair 2020, enabling the country to boost ties between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations, including ASEAN, he wrote. 

The PM expressed his belief that with experience from its 2008-09 tenure, Việt Nam is ready to do its best to successfully undertake the role of a UNSC non-permanent member for the 2020-21 term, towards becoming a partner for sustainable peace.

According to UN Resident Coordinator in Việt Nam, Kamal Malhotra, with the election to the UNSC, Việt Nam will have more opportunities to prove its ability and play an important role in regional and global events.

Apart from fully participating in 1,500 meetings of the UN Security Council, Việt Nam actively got involved in all matters and in all stages of work in the council, through making speeches, joining in negotiations, contributing to the drafting of resolutions and documents, and serving as chair and vice chair of some sub-committees of the council. It chaired the negotiations and compilation of the council’s resolution on women and security peace.

As a representative of Asia, Việt Nam pushed the peaceful settlement of regional issues as well as matters in other regions like Africa and the Middle East. At the same time, the country was able to flexibly handle its relations with powerful countries and those with common interests and traditional relations based on respecting and protecting the legitimate interests of stakeholders. — VNS