Vietnam’s major diplomatic achievements at multilateral forums

The year 2003 continues to see Vietnam record major diplomatic achievements at multilateral forums, including the United Nations (UN) which have contributed to promoting Vietnam's image and position in the eyes of international friends, according to Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations.

In the context of an especially complicated world situation, Vietnam continues to prove itself as a responsible member, effectively engaging in the common work of the UN. With significant contributions, Vietnam upholds its ideology and stance in support of peace, development, respect for international law, multilateralism, and most importantly, upholding compliance with the UN Charter in all pillars from peace, security, development to human rights protection.

According to Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, the highlight of Vietnamese diplomacy in 2023 is the successful assumption of Vice President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly (September 2022 - September 2023), while participating in the process of making plans and global important decisions, especially amid the UN General Assembly having to handle a huge amount of work.

Notably, Vietnam has chaired a number of UN General Assembly sessions to discuss and pass resolutions requesting the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to provide advisory opinions on the issue of climate change and the Agreement on the Sea, and resolutions to organize high-level meetings on readiness to prevent and respond to epidemics.

The nation has coordinated with other countries to propose initiatives and solutions on many major issues and became involved in coordinating and directly negotiating the making of documents.

Notably, Vietnam has contributed ideas and initiatives to many ongoing processes at the UN to shape the future. The country continues to play an active member of ASEAN, G-77, leading the Group of Friends of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

All of these partnerships have created a solid foreign position for Vietnam at the UN forum.

In 2023, Vietnam has made many meaningful contributions as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, the International Law Commission (2023-2027), the Executive Board of UNESCO (2021-2025), and the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2022-2026).

In the process of undertaking and implementing those responsibilities, Vietnam has effectively contributed to the common work of the UN on all three pillars: peace and security, development and human rights.

Regarding peace and security, Vietnam always actively steps up common efforts to enhance the role of the UN and build a global governance system based on the rule of law, respect for the UN Charter and standards, widely recognized internationally.

In the context of increased competition and strategic confrontation, and multilateral cooperation facing numerous challenges, the nation has constantly called for strengthening trust, reinforcing international solidarity and responsibility, strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding in order to peacefully resolve all disputes, for the common goal of peace, national independence, democracy and progress in the world.

The country has also actively contributed and expanded the scale of participation in UN peacekeeping activities as a contribution to preventing conflicts and building peace in hot spots in Africa.

Regarding development, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang emphasized that Vietnam continued to demonstrate its strong commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Vietnam's consistent viewpoint is always to put people at the center, and the driving force of all policy decisions.

This is also the guiding principle that the UN always strives to pursue. Vietnam has been participating in many core groups, making proposals, coordinating, and negotiating many initiatives and cooperation documents on education, health, water resource protection, energy conversion, and climate change response.

Vietnam has continued to actively implement the Fair Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) agreement, striving to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The nation actively cooperated with UN mechanisms on human rights, while protecting the National Report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism and reports on the implementation of international human rights conventions in which Vietnam is a member.

Vietnam also continues to affirm its strong commitment to promoting multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role, respecting the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law, including respect for independence and sovereignty and territorial integrity, dialogue instead of confrontation, and peaceful resolution of disputes.

Representatives of the UN and many countries highly appreciated Vietnam's practical and proactive contributions. UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis clearly stated that Vietnam is affirming its position and role regionally and globally, including taking on the role of a non-permanent member of the Security Council, a member of the UN Security Council, a member of the UN Human Rights Council, and is one of the leading contributors to peacekeeping operations.

Chief Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam Rana Flowers has highlighted Vietnam as a proactive, positive and responsible member in multilateral processes.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang forecasts that the international situation in 2024 will still be extremely complicated with many unstable factors, the workload and the level of friction and complexity in UN multilateral activities will therefore increasingly increase.

Vietnam will continue to accelerate the implementation of a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, and proactive comprehensive, extensive, and effective international integration.

The nation will actively prepare for and contribute to major UN processes, including the Summit of the Future, the high-level General Debate of the UNGA’s 79th session, the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in January 2024; seriously fulfill its international commitments; and continue upholding its role as a member of crucial UN mechanisms.

The achievements and hallmarks that have been attained serve as a foundation to take pride in and believe that Vietnam today is not only ready to be a reliable, constructive and responsible partner of the global community but also possesses the expertise and resources necessary to shoulder responsibilities commensurate with the country's new stature.

Thereby, Vietnam increasingly strengthens its role, position and image of a peace-loving country, a responsible member, while participating more actively, proactively and effectively in the common work of the United Nations in dealing with global challenges, the Vietnamese diplomat said.

VOV