Vietnam ready to take on role of UNSC President in April

This marks the second time that the country has taken on the presidency role during its 2020 - 2021 tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, following the first time in such a role back in January, 2020.

Developing stronger ties between the UN and other regional organisations for the purpose of promoting trust-building and dialogues to prevent and settle disputes continues to be one of Vietnam’s three priorities for this month.

Vietnam is expected to host a ministerial meeting on April 19 that will feature the participation of the UN Secretary-General, along with leaders of the three leading regional organisations, namely ASEAN, the EU, and the African Union.

The second priority during its month in the role of presidency is to surmount issues relating to bombs and mines and try to maintain lasting peace in certain parts of the world.

Overcoming these consequences as part of the post-war unexploded ordnance, including bombs and mines, is of paramount importance to the country as it has a significant impact on future socio-economic development, whilst solving the issue can ensure both security and safety of citizens. The matter is expected to draw the attention of the UN and the wider international community in war-torn countries.  

Vietnam is also scheduled to host a ministerial meeting on April 18 that will feature the participation of the UN Secretary-General and representatives of the demining group in Quang Tri province. Movie star Daniel Craig, who is currently the UN Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and other Explosive Hazards, will deliver a message via a video which will be sent to the event.

The third and final Vietnamese priority will focus on protecting infrastructure that is crucial for the daily lives of people in areas hit by armed conflicts. For this issue, a ministerial meeting is scheduled to be held on April 27 which will be attended by the Deputy Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, along with leaders of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisations.

April will mark a busy month for Vietnam as the UNSC is due to hold approximately 30 ambassadorial-level meetings and deal with 12 issues in its agenda for all regions globally.

In order to successfully fulfill its role, Vietnam will strive to actively and responsibly participate in, ensure objectivity and transparency when handling differences among member states to maintain solidarity, create a consensus, and solve problems.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the UN, says the country has acquired plenty of experience in its role as a non-permanent member of the UNSC during the past 15 months. Indeed, it has also received great support from other UNSC member countries during the current term, especially major powers, therefore offering some advantages to Vietnam.

Despite these positives, Ambassador Quy admits that the UNSC Presidency in April marks a challenging task for Vietnam given the current context in Myanmar and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as well as issues in both Yemen and Syria in the future.

According to the diplomat, Vietnam will work closely with other UNSC member countries to devise the President’s statements and resolutions during the month. He expresses his belief that the remarkable achievements Vietnam has recorded during 35 years since implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process and its first UNSC Presidency success in 2020 will serve as motivation to fulfil its role for the second time.

Vietnam was initially elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for 2020-2021 in June 2019, winning 192 out of the 193 member countries and territories of the UN General Assembly.