Đặng Đình Quý, head of Việt Nam’s Mission to the UN. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — Vietnamese Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý on Monday expressed his expectation that the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) will further assist the regional states in responding to COVID-19 and combating terrorism.

Quý, head of Việt Nam’s Mission to the UN, made the statement during a video conference held by the UN Security Council to discuss the UNRCCA’s operation.

He spoke highly of the role of the UNRCCA and Natalia Gherman, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia and the UNRCCA’s Head, in fostering preventive diplomacy in Central Asia and the positive security, social and economic progress in this region.

He said he hopes the UNRCCA will continue supporting the five Central Asian countries, consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in strengthening transboundary water management, fostering regional cooperation and empowering the youth and women.

Gherman briefed participants on the UNRCCA’s activities since the last meeting in January which focused on providing help for the regional states to contain the spread of the coronavirus, promoting regional social-economic growth, and tackling non-conventional security challenges such as terrorism and extremism, as well as transnational crimes and climate change.

The centre has also helped these five countries in managing transboundary water issues and increasing the youth and women’s participation in preventive diplomacy, she said. — VNS