Viet Nam – Strong partner of United Nations for peace and sustainable development

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will attend the 76^th session of UNGA from September 21-24. Being overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but that won’t stop world Heads of State and Government, including the Vietnamese, from addressing urgent global challenges. It is also expected that the President will send a message from a dynamic and peace-loving Viet Nam that advocates for multilateralism and works to practically contribute to the United Nations (UN) and the international community.

In 20^th July 1977, by the Resolution 413 (1977) adopted at the 2025^th meeting by consensus, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) recommended to the General Assembly that the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam be admitted to membership in the United Nations.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, about 60 per cent of the total aid offered to Viet Nam provided by the UN assistance (more than US$ 500 million). During the country’s reform process, the UN continued to support Viet Nam, providing more than US$ 630 million of Official Development Assistance (ODA).

From 1997 till now, the support from UN is shifting from technical and financial assistance to expanding towards strengthening institutions and policies. The One Strategic Plan 2017-2021, is the 3rd generation of UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) focusing on SDG implementation and representing the programmatic and operational framework for delivering UN support in Viet Nam. The Plan is aligned with the Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2011-2020, the Socio-Economic Development Plan 2016-2020, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Viet Nam’s international human rights commitments.

Since late 90s of the 20^th Century, Viet Nam has been elected to various bodies of the UN, receiving a high approval rates, especially the UN Security Council (2008-2009), the UN Economic and Social Council (1998-2000 and 2016-2018), the UN Human Rights Council (2014-2016), the UNESCO Executive Council (2015-2019) and the International Law Commission (2017-2021) and most recently at the voting for a non-permanent seat at the Security Council for 2020-2021 with 192/193 votes.

In 13^th November 2020, the United Nations General Assembly approved Viet Nam’s initiative (with sponsors from 13 other members of the UN) with resolution A/75/L.18 proclaiming December 27^th as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness in order to highlight the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnership against epidemics.

Viet Nam’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations officially dates back in 2014, as the Southeast Asian country sent personnel to UN missions in Africa (South Sudan and the Central African Republic). On October 2018, the country deployed a level-2 field hospital to South Sudan demonstrating its broader commitment to playing a role in international peacekeeping as a true partnership for sustainable peace and development./.

By Nguyen Minh