UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet (L) presents her annual report at the opening ceremony of the 50th session. Photo: UN video screenshot.

Vietnam co-hosts UN Human Rights Council panel discussion

Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines on June 13 co-hosted a panel discussion on ensuring vulnerable groups’ rights in the context of climate change at the ongoing 50th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In her annual report presented at the opening ceremony, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet emphasized the role the States play in responding to pandemics and other health emergencies and the socio-economic consequences, pointing out that the conflict in Ukraine continues to cause many deaths and infrastructure destruction.

She affirmed that the global food crisis is driving millions of people into food insecurity and poverty, and rising food and energy prices are threatening the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, undermining progress made in realizing sustainable development goals and slowing down actions to respond to climate change.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the States to take immediate strong action to address those challenges, build a greener economy and better adapt to crises.

She also highlighted the lack of access to Covid-19 vaccines for people in low-income countries and called for actions in place to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines in these countries, cited VOV.

During the 50th session, Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines on June 13 co-hosted a panel discussion on ensuring vulnerable groups’ rights in the context of climate change. They introduced a draft Resolution, focusing on food rights and climate change.

Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines have since 2014 co-drafted and introduced a resolution on a specific theme at the annual UN Human Rights Council session for consideration and approval.

The 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council opened on June 13 and is scheduled to last through to July 8.

During the physically and virtually held session, the Council will hold 27 interactive dialogues with Special Procedure mandate holders and mechanisms, and nine interactive dialogues with the High Commissioner.

It will hold eight-panel discussions, including those on menstrual hygiene management, human rights and gender equality; on good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights during and after the Covid-19 pandemic; on the human rights of people in vulnerable situations in the context of climate change; and on countering the negative impact of disinformation on the enjoyment and realization of human rights.

The Council is scheduled to consider and approve draft resolutions and decisions, and appoint a number of members of Special Procedures on July 7 - 8.

US – leading important partner of Vietnam: FM

Vietnam considers the US a leading important partner and stands ready to work together with the country to deepen the bilateral comprehensive partnership in an effective and practical manner, on the basis of respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions of each other, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has affirmed.

Speaking at a reception for US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Hanoi on June 13, Son thanked the US administration and Congress, including the Department of State, for their warm welcome for the Vietnamese delegation during their trip to the US last month for the ASEAN-US Special Summit and visits to the US and the UN.

The minister also congratulated the US on its successful organization of the summit, which, he said, demonstrates the country’s long-term commitments to enhancing cooperation with ASEAN and supporting the bloc’s centrality, and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.

For her part, Sherman also affirmed the importance the US attaches to the comprehensive partnership, saying the US consistently backs a strong and prosperous Vietnam and wishes to advance the relationship at a suitable time.

Reviewing the US trip by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last month, she said it has created momentum for the bilateral ties, especially in economy, trade and investment.

The US will continue its intensive, extensive and responsible cooperation with Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, and strengthen collaboration with ASEAN member countries, she pledged.

The two sides compared notes on specific measures to step up the bilateral cooperation in such areas as high-level delegation exchange, pandemic prevention and control, post-pandemic socio-economic recovery, investment, trade, war consequence settlement and the construction of representative offices of the two countries.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern like connectivity initiatives in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, the Bien Dong Sea issue, sustainable development, educational cooperation in the Mekong sub-region, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The same day, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc had a meeting with Sherman, during which the host suggested the US Deputy Secretary coordinate with the Vietnamese side to accelerate the visit to Vietnam by President Joe Biden this year.

Ngoc called for the US’s sharing of information about regional initiatives and its further support to Vietnam in the settlement of war consequences and clean energy transition, according to VNA.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (right) and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. Photo: VNA

Sherman spoke highly of Vietnam’s participation in the launch of the discussion on the Indo-Pacific economic framework, which offers an opportunity for Vietnam and other regional countries to contribute to the formation of common standards and rules for potential cooperation fields like digital economy, clean energy transition and economic resilience improvement.

The US and countries are willing to help Vietnam with resources, finance and technology to fulfill its commitments at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and address war consequences, she continued.

Sherman also announced the US’s additional funding of US$19 million for bomb and mine clearance in Vietnam.

Regarding regional and international issues of shared concern, the two sides emphasized the significance of observing basic principles of the United Nations Charter, respecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and peacefully settling disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

They consented to continue their close coordination at regional cooperation frameworks, especially ASEAN mechanisms and Mekong sub-regional cooperation.

During her stay in Vietnam from June 10-13, Sherman paid a courtesy visit to Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen, and had meetings with head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung, and Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien.

Vietnam ranks 89th in cost of living index rankings

Vietnam jumped six notches to 89th in the cost of living index rankings for 2022 with 37.48 points, as compiled by Numbeo.

The list calculates that the cost of living index in Ho Chi Minh City stands at 39.01 points, the highest nationwide. Indeed, a family of four typically spends VND40 million a month, excluding the fee for accommodation, while a single person usually spends more than VND11 million.

Elsewhere, Hanoi’s cost of living index is at 36.85 points, with the monthly cost of living for a four-member family in the capital standing at approximately VND36 million, while spending for an average person is roughly VND10 million a month.

Ho Chi Minh City has the highest cost of living in Vietnam. Photo: thanhnien.vn

The top of Numbeo’s rankings sees the island nation of Bermuda in the North Atlantic in first place with 146.04 points, followed by Switzerland with 123.35 points, Norway with 100.90 points, Iceland with 94.86 points, and Barbados with 92.37 points.

Most notably, Singapore was the only Southeast Asian representative to be named among the top 10 for the highest cost of living index with 83.98 points.

Northern, central regions enter prolonged rainy spell

The northern and central regions now enter a period of prolonged heavy rains, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

From June 14, the northern region and the north-central province of Thanh Hoa will experience downpours with a rainfall of 40-80mm and the figure is likely to exceed 120mm in some areas.

From the night of June 14 to June 15, rain is forecast to occur mostly in the northern provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, and Hoa Binh, the South of the northern delta, and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. Rainfall is forecast to range between 30mm and 60 mm and surpass 80mm in some places. The remaining areas in the North will see showers and thunderstorms, reported VNA.

Illustrative photo. Photo: VNA

Thunderstorms and downpours in the region are projected to last throughout June 15, then gradually decrease. Hot weather is likely to return from June 18 to 19.

The meteorological agency has warned of a high risk of flash floods, landslides and local flooding across northern mountainous provinces, especially Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, and Bac Kan.

At the same time, flooding may occur in riverside and alluvial areas in downstream of the Red River.

No increases in medical service fees: Deputy PM

There will be no increases in prices of medical examination and treatment, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai affirmed while chairing a meeting with leading officials of several ministries and sectors on price management on June 13.

The official, who is also head of the steering committee for price management, stated that the Government is determined to keep the inflation below 4 percent in 2022.

The target is reachable if the monthly CPI growth rate is kept at 0.7 percent in the remaining months of this year. However, the inflation risk at the end of the year may be big, affecting the growth momentum of 2022, Khai said, stressing the need for flexible price management.

To proactively respond to challenges in price management in the rest of 2022, ministries, sectors and localities need to step up the implementation of measures set forth by the Government and the Prime Minister, and the head of the steering committee for price management.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai. Photo: VNA

The State Bank of Vietnam was asked to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to continue implementing the monetary policy proactively and flexibly in close coordination with the fiscal policy and other macroeconomic ones in order to control inflation, and continue to curb core inflation in 2022 to create a basis for general inflation control.

The Deputy PM also emphasized the importance of being cautious in increasing tuition fees, and carefully studying the law on prices to manage prices of textbooks in accordance with the actual situation, NDO reported.

Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai said that in the context of increases in world prices of fuels and strategic materials, the Government, the Prime Minister and the head of the steering committee have issued documents directing the implementation of solutions and measures to stabilize prices and minimize the negative impacts of price increases on socio-economic development, production and business activities and people’s lives.

To date, the prices are still basically under control. The May CPI increased by 0.38 percent month-on-month and 2.86 percent year-on-year. The index in the first five months of this year rose by 2.25 percent year-on-year. Basic inflation in the period was up by 1.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

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