Speaking at a UN Security Council debate on March 28, Mr Minh said chapter 8 of the UN Charter clearly defines the nature, scope and principles of cooperation between the UN and regional organisations.

More than ever before, the international community now find it very important to pool resources of regional organisations to cope with challenges to regional and international peace and security, he said.

The ambassador stressed that though not always successful, regional organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the African Union (AU) etc, in cooperation with the United Nations have made worthy contributions to restoring and maintaining peace and security in regional countries.

Regarding the role of the AU, Mr Minh said since its inception in 1999, the AU has nurtured an improved partnership with the UN, joining the UN peacekeeping operations and actively contributing to mediation, reconciliation and reconstruction processes in many regional countries such as Angola, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somali, Sudan, Uganda and Western Sahara.

However, the Vietnamese diplomat said, in the context of many existing challenges of the second largest and second most populous continent which continues to be ravaged by civil wars, ethnic conflicts, extreme poverty and humanitarian tragedies, the AU should play a greater role in gaining greater support and cooperation from the UN.

Recalling the UN Resolutions on relations between the UN and regional organisations, Mr Minh emphasised the need to find long-term solutions to the armed conflicts in Africa, which are depriving many Africans of opportunities for socio-economic development. He said Vietnam supports measures to ensure the continuation of emergency humanitarian assistance aimed at relieving the sufferings of people affected by armed conflicts. In a continent like Africa that has experienced protracted conflicts, peace can only come along with cooperation and trust, Mr concluded.