The meeting was co-chaired by the Permanent Representatives of Kuwait and the Netherlands to the United Nations and attended by a large number of UN member states. It marked the start of this year’s series of discussions on Security Council reform, one of the UN’s most complex, protracted and central reform issues.

At the meeting, many countries and groups of countries underscored the need to reform the Security Council to better reflect current geopolitical realities.

Participants also exchanged a wide range of views on the scope of reform, the expansion of membership categories, working methods, the use of the veto, as well as the roadmap and modalities for negotiations.

Speaking at the session, Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Chargé d’Affaires at the Vietnamese Delegation to the United Nations, reaffirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment to multilateralism and to the central role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security. He stressed that Security Council reform is an urgent requirement to enhance the body’s democratic nature, representativeness, transparency and effectiveness.

Vietnam, he said, continues to support the expansion of both categories of Security Council membership-permanent and non-permanent-on the basis of ensuring equitable geographical representation and strengthening the voice and participation of developing countries.

Regarding working methods, Vietnam highlighted the need to improve the Security Council’s transparency, inclusiveness and effectiveness. This includes promoting more substantive exchanges between the Council and UN member states, as well as enhancing the quality of interaction between the Security Council and the General Assembly. Permanent members, Vietnam stressed, should exercise restraint or use the veto with caution, in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

With regard to the IGN process, Vietnam expressed its hope that discussions in 2026 would move toward narrowing differences over an overall reform model, thereby laying the groundwork for substantive negotiations in the period ahead.

Vietnam reaffirmed that it will continue to participate in the IGN process in a constructive, responsible and good-faith manner, and stands ready to contribute actively to joint efforts to promote Security Council reform toward concrete outcomes that meet the requirements of the new situation and the legitimate interests of all UN member states.

Vietnam supports the expansion of the UN Security Council

VOV.VN - A Vietnamese diplomat to the United Nations has voiced Vietnam’s support for the reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) including the body’s expansion in terms of both permanent and non-permanent members.