Addressing the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) in New York, USA, on September 23, President Luong Cuong affirmed that over the past eight decades, the United Nations has embodied humanity’s shared aspiration for peace, cooperation, and development, rooted in the universal values of human rights, national independence, equality, democracy, and social progress.

However, he said, existing global institutions have struggled to keep pace with the shifting geopolitical landscape and emerging threats such as climate change, cybercrime, energy insecurity, and growing inequality. He urged the international community to pursue comprehensive institutional reform that enhances fairness, transparency, and operational efficiency, ensuring that all nations, particularly developing countries, benefit equitably from the global system.

The Vietnamese President also stressed the need for the United Nations to uphold its central role in global governance based on international law and the UN Charter.

Reiterating that peace is both a goal and a prerequisite for building a stable, just, democratic, and prosperous future, the President urged all nations to comply with international law and the UN Charter, respect independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, avoid interference in internal affairs, refrain from the use or threat of force, and resolve disputes by peaceful means

Championing a culture of peace based on trust, dialogue, solidarity, and respect for diversity, the President called for ceasefires, an end to violence, protection of civilians, and unimpeded humanitarian access in conflict zones. He welcomed the recognition of the State of Palestine by numerous countries, urged emergency humanitarian support for the Palestinian people, and called on the United States to lift sanctions against Cuba and remove it from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.

The Vietnamese leader underscored the importance of regional organisations in maintaining peace and security. He affirmed ASEAN’s central role in the Asia-Pacific, supporting its efforts to build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable ASEAN Community. He supported efforts to promote the ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, and the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, based on international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

To optimise a sustainable development model based on digital transformation and green transition, the President emphasised that countries must develop comprehensive strategies, invest heavily in research and development, train high-quality human resources, and build green technology infrastructure.

He stressed the importance of strengthening international cooperation in technology transfer and mobilising green finance. Developed countries, in particular, should share and transfer technologies to developing and least developed countries. At the same time, the social transformation process must be people-centred to ensure that no one is left behind.

In his keynote speech, President Cuong also shared the story of Vietnam—a nation that has risen from the devastation of war, from poverty, underdevelopment, low capacity, and years of isolation and embargo, to become a developing economy with middle-income status and deep international integration.

While acknowledging the challenges that remain, the President reaffirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment to its strategic goals to become a modern industrialised country with upper-middle income by 2030, and a high-income economy by 2045. Vietnam is also determined to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and build a strong, prosperous, and happy nation.

Vietnam stands ready to exert its utmost efforts and work hand-in-hand with all nations to shoulder shared responsibilities, overcome global challenges, and drive forward bold transformations toward building a world of peace, stability, prosperity, and sustainability, delivering happiness and well-being for all people, he said.

On this occasion, President Cuong extended a cordial invitation to all countries to attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, to be held in Hanoi on October 25. He also announced that Vietnam is actively preparing to assume the Presidency of the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

In addition, he called on countries to support Vietnam’s candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council (2026–2028 term) and for the position of Judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (2026–2036 term).

President Luong Cuong attends opening of UNGA 80 High-Level General Debate

VOV.VN - A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by President Luong Cuong attended the opening of the High-Level General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA – 80) at UN Headquarters in New York, USA, on September 23 (local time).