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Vietnam calls for UNCTAD’s continued support for developing countries. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam calls for UNCTAD’s continued support for developing countries

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang suggested the UN Trade & Development (UNCTAD) continue to support developing countries amidst global headwinds while addressing the Global Leaders Forum held in Switzerland on June 12-13 on the occasion of the UNCTAD’s 60th anniversary.

Hang highlighted several challenges to global economic, trade and investment growth as well as sustainable development. These included the adaptability of developing countries failing to catch up with the world’s rapid and intensive changes, substantial gap in development, technology and investment between nations, limited financial, human and natural resources, geopolitical tensions and increasing competition. Acknowledging the UNCTAD’s achievements and contributions to the global trade and investment over the past six decades, the Vietnamese diplomat recommended the agency continue promoting multilateralism and global cooperation activities, developing open trade and investment to bring benefits to all stakeholders, and helping developing countries raise their voice during the process of building global policies, regulations and standards.

The UN agency should support developing countries to enhance resilience to external shocks and multiple crises while linking its activities with the global agendas, she stressed.

Spotlighting Vietnam’s economic achievements, development orientation as well as investment and international integration policies, Hang thanked the UNCTAD for its assistance to Vietnam over the past time and expressed her hope that the agency will accompany Vietnam’s development path in the future, cited VNA.

Vietnam commits to supporting the UNCTAD’s cooperation targets and orientations, she underscored.

On the occasion, Hang had meetings with UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, Director General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum Mirek Dusek, and Cambodian Senior Minister in charge of International and Multilateral Trade and Economic Relations Sok Siphana.

The foreign partners spoke highly of Vietnam’s economic achievements, and agreed to bolster cooperation and accompany the country in its development path.

Nghe An seeks to boost collaboration with UK localities

A delegation of the central province of Nghe An led by Secretary of its Party Committee Thai Thanh Quy paid a working visit to the UK from June 11-13 to seek ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in trade, investment, hi-tech agriculture, tourism, and education.

During his stay, Quy had working sessions with representatives of the government and the Chamber of Commerce of Newhaven, and the Communist Party of Britain.

Several roundtables introducing investment potential and cooperation opportunities with Nghe An province were also held, with the participation of representatives from the West London Chambers of Commerce, UK businesses, and Vietnamese enterprises in the host country, according to VOV.

Photo: VOV

In Newhaven, the first place late President Ho Chi Minh set foot on when he came to the UK, the Nghe An delegation had a working session with Mayor Pinky McLean-Knight and representatives of the government and the Chamber of Commerce of the town.

Quy said that Nghe An, the hometown of the late leader, is willing to accompany and join hands with Newhaven in expanding the exhibition space about him at the Newhaven Museum and providing digitized data on the President to serve the museum's operations.

He expressed his hope to promote the two sides’ collaboration, firstly in culture and economics.

Meeting Chair of the Communist Party of Britain Ruth Styles, Quy expressed wishes to expand cooperation with the Party, creating a premise to develop cooperative activities in other fields between Nghe An and UK localities.

At a roundtable introducing the potential and opportunities for cooperation with Nghe An held in London, the province’s leader called for British businesses to invest in the locality, especially in the fields of high-tech agriculture, supporting industries, mechanical engineering, agricultural product processing, tourism, education, and training. He affirmed that local authorities always create favorable conditions for investors to do business in the province.

CEO of the West London Chambers of Commerce (WLCC) Alan Rides said that the WLCC is willing to support Vietnamese businesses in connecting with partners in the UK to seek business opportunities in the country.

Vietnam announces first-ever candidate to Int’l Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu has officially announced Vietnam’s candidate to the position of Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 tenure - Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Director General of the East Sea Institute under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

The candidate was introduced at the 34th meeting of States Parties to the UNCLOS (SPLOS-34) held in New York from June 10-14. During the event, Deputy FM Vu, head of the Vietnamese delegation, chaired an international seminar on sea level rise in the Pacific and the annual meeting of the Group of Friends of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Convention's entry into force, VNA reported.

The seminar, organized by Vietnam in collaboration with a number of member countries of the UNCLOS Group of Friends, including Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Oman, with the co-sponsorship of Australia, Canada, Germany, the Philippines, and Singapore, drew about 100 delegates and experts on the law of the sea from more than 60 countries, as well as scholars and representatives from a number of UN agencies.

Addressing the seminar, Vu highlighted the historical significance of UNCLOS to the development of international law. As the "Constitution of Oceans", UNCLOS is the most comprehensive legal framework that regulates all activities of countries in the field of seas and oceans, and serves as a basis for countries to cooperate in management of oceans and seas in an orderly and sustainable manner.

Vietnam will continue to work with the 115 members of the Group of Friends in implementing and protecting the universality of UNCLOS, the diplomat affirmed.

Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu (middle) and Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang (right), Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations co-chair the seminar (Photo: VNA)

At the seminar, Vietnamese legal experts including Associate Prof., Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh and Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Thao, a member of the International Law Commission (ILC), shared their assessments from the perspective of Vietnam - a coastal country most affected by climate change, including the risk of sea level rise.

They stressed the need to continue to comply with and fully implement the provisions of UNCLOS in the process of resolving emerging challenges in current sea and ocean governance such as marine environmental pollution, climate change and sea level rise, while calling for support to the preservation of baselines, boundaries of maritime zones established from baselines and maritime delimitation results agreed by countries through negotiations or established by decisions of international judicial agencies in order to maintain stability and legal order at sea.

The seminar, organized following Vietnam’s initiatives, is one of the important contributions in preparation for the upcoming UN Summit on sea level rise slated for September.

Established in 2021, the UNCLOS Group of Friends was initiated and co-chaired by Vietnam and Germany. It currently has 115 members from all regions, including 12 core countries responsible for coordinating the group's activities.

Hanoi launches stimulus program to attract tourists

The Hanoi Department of Tourism has been organizing a stimulus scheme for Hanoians and tourists in order to allow them to experience services at four and five- star hotels located in the capital.

The purpose of the event is to attract tourists to visit during the summer and autumn seasons, whilst also celebrating the capital’s 70th liberation anniversary on October 10.

According to Nguyen Hong Minh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, there will be a wide range of activities taking place in the capital as part of the occasion in order to encourage tourists to both stay longer and spend more.

He added that these functions are also aimed at elevating the reputation of Hanoi as a safe, friendly, high-quality, and attractive tourism destination among visitors.

Nguyen Thanh Thuy, sales director of Silk Path Hotel, said the hotel has offered diverse incentives specifically targeting family groups during the summer season with discounts amounting to 15%, cited VOV.

Nguyen Hong Minh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, addresses the event.

A representative of Pan Pacific Hanoi emphasized that the venue has also provided visitors with culinary and beverage vouchers at its restaurants and bars, while simultaneously offering discounts on room rates of up to 10%.

Nguyen Manh Than, chairman of the Hanoi Tourism Association, pointed out that tourism businesses are required to improve the overall quality of tourism products, gain greater insights into the needs of tourists, and organize additional events in a bid to attract visitors.

Furthermore, Hanoi is also required to strengthen promotion activities as a means of turning it into a tourism hub in the country, he noted.

North Vietnam braces for heavy rain: Frequency and impact analysis

Northern Vietnam is set to experience heavy rain starting tonight (June 14) and continuing through June 16, according to meteorological forecasts.

The anticipated weather pattern, while significant, is expected to be less severe compared to the recent downpours from June 8 to 10, VNN reported.

Nguyen Van Huong, Head of the Weather Forecasting Department at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, provided insights into the upcoming weather conditions.

He indicated that the heavy rain will occur in two distinct phases: from the night of June 14 to the morning of June 15, and then again from the night of June 15 to the morning of June 16. During these periods, mountainous and midland areas are likely to experience moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms. Some areas may even face very heavy rainfall.

"The rain this time will vary in frequency and intensity compared to the events earlier this month," Huong predicted.

In the Northern Delta region, showers and thunderstorms are expected with localized heavy rain primarily during the nighttime and early morning hours. Rainfall amounts are projected to range between 20-40mm, with some areas receiving over 70mm.

North Vietnam prepares for heavy rain from June 14 to 16. (Illustration: Thach Thao)

Meanwhile, in the Central Highlands and the South, scattered showers and thunderstorms are anticipated from the evening of June 14 through June 15, with localized heavy rain bringing 15-30mm of precipitation. Some areas might experience rainfall exceeding 60mm.

The meteorological agency cautioned residents and authorities about potential impacts from the heavy rain, including flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas, as well as urban flooding in low-lying regions. Thunderstorms could also bring hazards such as tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong winds.

In addition to the northern region's weather alert, the Central region is bracing for a prolonged heatwave. From Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan on June 15, temperatures are expected to reach 36-39 degrees Celsius, with some areas exceeding 39 degrees. Humidity levels will range from 50% to 55%. Authorities have issued warnings about the persistent heatwave, which is likely to endure for several days.

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