UN Resident Coordinator shares impressions of Vietnam

Before ending her 5-year term in Vietnam, UN Resident Coordinator, Doctor Pratibha Mehta expressed her good impression of Vietnam’s achievements and its effective cooperation with the UN.

Since Vietnam joined the UN 40 years ago bilateral relations have been deepened in many fields. UN programs have practically benefited Vietnam’s socio-economic development.

Comprehensive cooperation

Pratibha Mehta said Vietnam is a success story. After 30 years of renewal, Vietnam has fulfilled the UN’s millennium development goals, significantly improved people’s lives and ensured growth for all during the global integration process. 

An isolated and heavily sanctioned country after the war, Vietnam has now deeply integrated into the world and its status is rising in the international arena. 

Over the past 5 years, Vietnam has participated in many UN cooperative mechanisms. 

Mehta said “I think in the last 5 years, Vietnam has been very proactive, becoming more integrated in the UN’s institutions. They have been serving in the Human Right Council, a member of ECOSOC. They have sent peacekeeping force to Sudan and have UN Peacekeeping Center to develop the capacity to send more peacekeepers. I think it’s growing in the next phase of cooperation.”

The UN has carried out many projects in Vietnam focused on policy reform and the needs of a low middle-income country. 

Mrs. Mehta said “What come to my mind is the constitutional reform, land reform, and the reform of the law on family. In the constitutional reform, it’s very encouraging to see the public feedback on the Constitution on the website. Vietnam has expanded responsibility in human right. I also recall the significant progress on climate change and green growth.”

Impressions of Vietnam

As a UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam for 5 years, Mrs. Mehta visited all localities and worked with the Vietnamese government to implement projects on poverty reduction, judicial reform, healthcare improvement, and education reform. 

“There are many things I have to list. But what has impressed me the most was how resilient the country is and how resilient people of Vietnam are. In 2011, Vietnam went through a financial crisis. But every time, I have experienced that the government acted very quickly in managing any crisis. The 2nd thing that really impressed me is the people of Vietnam, hardworking, enterprising, and very entrepreneurial.”

Global integration has generated opportunities for Vietnam to participate in regional and global organizations. The country has enhanced cooperation and cultural exchange with other countries. 

The UN will accompany Vietnam in promoting and protecting its cultural values during the global integration process.