The Vietnamese leader made the suggestion during an Online Summit-level Meeting of the NAM Contact Group in response to COVID-19 under the theme “United against COVID-19” on May 4.
The current context requires the NAM to strengthen and affirm the solidarity which has been fostered throughout its six decades of operation, considering this as a guideline to help “convert dangers into opportunities”, overcome challenges and push back the pandemic, he emphasised.
NAM member nations should work out effective strategies to realise the dual goal of controlling the disease and ensuring economic development and social security, the PM said, calling for support for enhancing multilateralism and international solidarity, and persistently implementing major multilateral commitments.
The NAM should continue to take the lead in promoting the rule of law, democratising international relations, opposing coercive political acts, promoting the removal of unilateral sanctions and embargoes, and responding to the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for global ceasefire in order to maintain a peaceful and stable international environment, he stated.
PM Phuc attributed Vietnam’s positive results in COVID-19 prevention and control to the unanimity and engagement of the entire socio-political system under the motto of “fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy”, affirming that the Government of Vietnam has done its utmost to both combat the disease and ensure socio-economic development and social security so that no one is left behind.
He touched on Vietnam’s efforts, in its capacity as ASEAN Chair 2020 and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, to strengthen regional and international cooperation to effectively control the pandemic, while highlighting Vietnam’s financial and material donations to some pandemic-hit countries.
The online summit featured the attendance of heads of states and governments of 40 NAM member countries. PM Phuc participated in the event at the invitation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Chair of the NAM.
The President of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General and the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) also attended the meeting and gave speeches.
At the end of the summit, NAM member countries adopted a joint declaration affirming the NAM’s support for multilateralism and the role of international organisations as a whole and the UN and the WHO in particular. In the document, the leaders also called for strengthened international cooperation; condemned and urged the abolition of unilateral embargoes that are applied in violation of the UN Charter and international law, aimed at a number of NAM members; and agreed on the establishment of a Non-Aligned Task Force with the goal of working out a database of NAM member states in COVID-19 prevention and control.
