Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN, swore with the UN Charter during a flag-raising ceremony held at the UN headquarters as Việt Nam starts its capacity as the President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK Việt Nam began activities in its capacity as President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday (local time), marking the start of the country’s UNSC non-permanent membership for a two-year term.

A flag ceremony was held for Việt Nam and four other new non-permanent members of the UNSC for the 2020-21 tenure, comprising Estonia, Niger, Tunisia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN, said it was Việt Nam’s great honour to serve as a non-permanent member of the UNSC and hold the body’s rotating presidency in January.

Việt Nam would make all-out efforts to contribute to joint activities of the council in order to ensure the observance of the UN Charter and promote multilateralism, he said.

Quý called on countries to back Việt Nam’s efforts, not only during the month-long presidency but also in the future.

The same day, the UNSC approved January’s work agenda proposed by Việt Nam.

Accordingly, the body will convene 12 open debates and 15 closed-door meetings to look into various regional and international issues such as the situation in the Middle East, Syria, Yemen, West Africa, Sahel, Mali, Libya, Central Asia and Cyprus.

UNSC agencies will also hold many meetings in the month to discuss issues regarding sanctions, anti-terrorism, courts, children, armed conflicts and procedures.

Stepping up the observance of the UN Charter and boosting cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN will be two major activities of the council in January.

Việt Nam received high approval of all UNSC member countries for the organisation of an open debate on pushing ahead with the observance of the UN Charter on January 9, and a meeting on ASEAN-UN cooperation in maintaining international peace and security on January 23.

Việt Nam’s proposals aim to carry forward the role of multilateralism, the UN Charter and basic principles of international law, for a better world.

Việt Nam also wants to raise the efficiency of cooperation and comprehensive partnership between ASEAN and the UN, for the sake of ASEAN member countries and the international community. VNS