Vietnam calls on UN to heed respect for international law

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, head of the Vietnam Mission to the UN made the statement in response to the press on September 24.

She said  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who led the Vietnamese delegation to the events, stressed the need to enhance multilateralism and adherence to international law, for peace, cooperation and development. Appreciating the UN’s role and operation, the official called on the organisation to better perform its central role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nga noted. The Deputy PM shared Vietnam’s experience in realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), pledging that his country will seriously actualise the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

He appealed to developed countries to be pioneers in assisting developing nations, including Vietnam, in finance, capacity improvement, technological transfer and trade facilitation, the ambassador said. Regarding issues discussed at the UN session from September 20-26, Nga said the delegates talked about measures to enhance cooperation in the three pillars of peace, security and development. They reassured their commitments to successfully translating the SDGs into deeds. Up to 31 countries announced their ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, raising the total number of countries joining the pact to 60.

The leaders affirmed their resolve to seek solutions to the prolonged conflicts, combat terrorism, put an end to humanitarian crises and effectively cope with the waves of migrants and refugees. Many underlined the significance of observing the UN Charter and international law and addressing conflicts by peaceful measures, not using or threatening to use force, according to Ambassador Nga. The participating countries agreed on the need to continue revamping the UN’s Security Council and General Assembly as well as the organisation’s development system in order to raise its operational efficiency.

The ambassador said on the occasion of the UN General Assembly session, Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh had meetings with Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Belgium, Argentina and Hungary. He also met with Chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission of the Italian Senate Pier Ferdinando Casini and President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Fabrizio Cicchitto , and US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He talked with leaders of with more than 25 large US businesses, including big investors in Vietnam like Intel, Metlife, Cargill and Coca Cola, she said.-