Vietnamese candidacy to international sea law tribunal to contribute to global rule of law

Attending a recent debate on the rule of law at national and international levels, held by the Sixth Committee on Legal Affairs of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Giang said that by continuing its active participation in international legal forums, the nation has, for the first time, nominated Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Anh, director of the East Sea Institute, to stand for election to the organization.

On the basis of respecting geographical representation and inclusive participation, as well as gender equality in multilateral mechanisms and international legal bodies, the country calls on other UN member states and agencies to continue realizing capacity-building support programmes aimed at empowering women from all regions, especially those from developing countries. This will serve to create opportunities for them to make more significant contributions to international law.

The responsibility of promoting and maintaining the rule of law at all levels must be shared by all UN member states, particularly as this is key to building trust, enhancing commitments, and reinforcing multilateralism, the Vietnamese diplomat stated.

As a nation that attaches great importance to adhering to international law and the UN Charter, the country appreciates the recent efforts made by the international community to advance the rule of law in response to emerging global challenges, including the building of new international treaties on cybercrime, international tax co-operation, and many other critical issues affecting international life, he said. He added that the country has actively participated in these processes and achieved significant results in terms of improving its legal framework and domestic judicial system.

As a founding member of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Group of Friends, the nation has joined together with other countries to actively celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Convention's entry into force, the diplomat said, underling the importance of protecting the universality, unity, and integrity of the 1982 UNCLOS in global sea and ocean governance.

He therefore affirmed the firm Vietnamese stance that all disputes must be solved through peaceful means in line with international law. From this point of view, the country expresses concern over recent developments in the East Sea, calling on all parties involved to fulfill their obligations under UNCLOS, respect the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), exercise restraint, peacefully settle disputes, and respect diplomatic and legal processes.

Vietnam pledges to fully carry out the DOC and will continue to actively join other countries to promptly finalise a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, including UNCLOS.