Việt Nam to help promote consensus as UN General Assembly Vice President: official

UNGA High-Level Week in 2021. — AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — As one of the Vice Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)’s 77th session, Việt Nam can bring into play its role in handling differences among countries and promoting consensus on the UNGA’s decisions, an official has said.

At a meeting on June 7 (New York time), the UNGA elected the President and Vice Presidents of the UNGA’s 77th session. Việt Nam, representing Asia-Pacific, was elected to the Vice Presidency and will serve in this post for one year, starting on September 13, 2022.

Talking to the press, Đỗ Hùng Việt, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of International Organisations and Assistant to the Foreign Minister, said the election is greatly significant to Việt Nam, especially when the country is marking its 45-year UN membership in 2022.

Three years ago, also on June 7, Việt Nam was elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council with near-total approval – 192 out of 193 votes, Việt noted.

The UN General Assembly is the most representative body of the UN with the participation of 193 member states. Therefore, this is the place where the priorities and common interests of the international community are expressed. The General Assembly is also a very important policy-making body of the UN with the aim of affirming and fulfilling the central role of the UN in global governance and in dealing with common challenges faced by the international community.

Việt Nam’s biggest advantage when serving in this post is the prestige it has built up in the recent past, which can be seen in the international community and activities of the UN, he remarked, noting that the country recently fulfilled its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and is currently a member of the International Law Commission, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the Postal Operations Council of the Universal Postal Union.

Another advantage is its trained and experienced personnel who have performed duties at many mechanisms and forums, especially the recent tenure at the UN Security Council. They also have strong support from the homeland, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries and sectors, so as to confidently chair activities of the UNGA in the time ahead, according to Việt.

As one of the UNGA Vice Presidents, Việt Nam will join the President and other Vice Presidents in chairing UNGA activities, including the UNGA high-level week with the involvement of more than 100 heads of state and other senior leaders, or thematic summits on sustainable development or peace and security issues, etc.

The President and Vice Presidents will also chair the building of UNGA documents and initiatives. Việt Nam will also play its role in ironing out differences among countries and creating consensus about the UNGA’s decisions, the Vietnamese diplomat elaborated.

Việt Nam’s target is to continue its proactive and comprehensive engagement in such fields as promoting international peace and security, disarmament; the building of a new UN agenda for peace – including important factors on peacekeeping, enhancing confidence and trust, promoting strategic stability to maintain global peace; and the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

Other focal areas include the implementation of international commitments to sustainable development, the settlement of common challenges like epidemics, climate change, and environmental pollution, and the facilitation of green transition and digital transformation.

In particular, as a representative of the Asia-Pacific region and developing countries, Việt Nam will highlight the demand for international cooperation to provide technological resources for developing nations, the official said.

Việt Nam will be participating in the organisation of a number of important high-level events of the General Assembly in the coming time, including the High-Level General Debates session in September 2022, the Summit on Education Transformation also in September this year, and the Summit of the Future slated for 2023 – which are priorities of Việt Nam in this new role.

Việt Nam is planning and running for membership in some international mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Council, he added, expressing his hope that the UNGA Vice Presidency will create momentum for the country to hold important positions in other UN mechanisms. — VNS