At the dialogue on Vietnam's national report on human rights protection and promotion under the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.

Vietnam ready for open and frank dialogue on human rights at UNHRC

The dialogue on Vietnam's national report on human rights protection and promotion has captured great international attention, alongside nearly 140 countries which have registered to make statements and raise questions.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet led a Vietnamese delegation on May 7 to attend a dialogue on the Vietnamese national report on human rights protection and promotion under the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.

Ready for frank dialogue

The Vietnamese report was made under the UNHRC’s fourth cycle of the Universal UPR mechanism at a time when the country is serving as a member of the UNHRC for the second time for the 2023 to 2025 term and preparing to run for re-election for the 2026 to 2028 term.

The report received contributions from many central and local agencies, through many rounds of consultation with partner countries, international organizations, socio-political organizations, professional organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and many individuals both at home and abroad.

In a recent media interview given ahead of the dialogue, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet stated that about 10 to 15 ministries and agencies join the Vietnamese delegation at the event.

The delegation is set to present the report, respond to, provide more information, and share data and new arguments relating to promoting human rights in Vietnam and the nation’s various achievements. It will also share the numerous difficulties encountered, thereby attracting more attention and support from countries and international organizations for this process.

"One interesting thing is that the dialogue took place on the day marking the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory through which we can affirm to the world the importance of peace in promoting and protecting human rights on a global scale. We can share Vietnam's experience with other countries and give the message of peace and development to ensure human rights," Deputy Minister Viet said.

The Party and State have consistent policies aimed at ensuring human rights. Indeed, the country is ready to engage in dialogues with others, even discussions on disagreements in the spirit of cooperation, equality, and construction, in order to increase mutual understanding and share valuable experience in ensuring human rights, cited VOV.

In pursuit of a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, and unwavering policy of protecting and promoting human rights of the Party and State, the nation supports the UNHRC’s UPR mechanism. It makes national reports, action plans, and effectively implements recommendations accepted in the three previous UPR cycles.

In this spirit, the delegation plans to deliver a comprehensive overview of Vietnamese human rights progress since the previous UPR review. This includes updates on relevant policies, legal frameworks, socio-economic development, and the current human rights situation in the country. Additionally, they will discuss progress on implementing recommendations accepted during the previous review whilst outlining the country’s future priorities and commitments regarding human rights.

Challenges and human rights achievements

Over the past time, since the first cycle, the nation has made remarkable progress in ensuring and promoting human rights. The country has continuously fine-tuned its legal system, especially with the adoption of the 2013 Constitution which covers a separate chapter on human rights, as well as on the basis of the Constitution, the nation has built and ameliorated 100 different legal documents.

In the last third cycle alone, when implementing recommendations, the Vietnamese side has supplemented, amended, and passed about 40 new legal documents in order to gradually improve the legal system locally, thereby creating a very solid basis for human rights protection and promotion.

Furthermore, the development of media agencies, the Internet, and social media platforms also clearly demonstrates Vietnamese policies on encouraging and promoting freedom of speech and freedom of press so that the voices of the people and socio-political organizations can reach the Party, the Government, and the National Assembly (NA). Through this, the nation can increasingly refine its legal policies, as well as the implementation process.

In 2023, the Vietnamese economy achieved growth of over 5%, with the poverty rate falling to 3%, while also continuing to spend an annual average of about 3% of GDP on social security.

Last year saw the country export over eight million tonnes of rice as a contribution to ensuring food security and food rights for millions of people in many regions globally.

The country’s priorities when joining the Human Rights Council include protecting vulnerable groups, promoting digital transformation, and ensuring both gender equality and human rights.

At the 56th session in June, Vietnam will propose an annual resolution on ensuring human rights in the context of climate change.

The achievements in ensuring human rights and civil rights demonstrates the strong commitment and determination of the Vietnamese State, especially amid plenty of difficulties and challenges caused by the unstable impact of the world's political and socio-economic environment.

The Vietnamese State always makes every effort to improve the legal system and ensure the legal enforcement of human rights across a variety of fields.

In particular, regarding the right to freedom of belief and religion, Article 24 of the 2013 Constitution of Vietnam stipulates that "Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, and has the right to follow any religion or to follow no religion. All religions are equal before law”.

The Vietnamese State ensures and creates conditions for religious organizations to establish religious training facilities and open religious training classes.

Currently, religions have been recognised and their operations have been licensed by the State, an increase of 10 religions and 35 organizations compared to before the promulgation of the Law on Beliefs and Religions.

The international activities of religious groups domestically are increasingly expanding, with many groups, organizations, individuals, and religions engaging in religious activities abroad every year.

Most notably, international religious activities were successfully arranged in the nation such as the UN Vesak Day 2019 hosted by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

With the Rights of Ethnic Minorities, Vietnam is a unified country of 54 ethnic minority groups, of which 53 ethnic minorities account for 14.68% of the total population.

Ethnic minorities enjoy special privileges according to the provisions of the Constitution and law, such as being guaranteed the right to become involved in the political system, and State management. This is in addition to being able to run for election to the NA and People's Council according to the provisions of Articles 27 and 28 of the 2013 Constitution.

The proportion of ethnic minorities participating in the political apparatus is increasing, with the number of NA deputies who are ethnic minorities always accounting for a high proportion compared to the population ratio in the last three NA terms.

In recent years, poverty reduction programs in the nation have been effectively carried out as a contribution to marked improvements in the socio-economic situation in general and in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in particular.

The country has been part of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) since 1982 and has defended the national report on the implementation of the CERD four times in 1983, 1993, 2000, and 2012.

Vietnam has also developed and defended its national report on carrying out the 5th CERD from November 29 to November 30, 2023.

70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory celebrated

A grand ceremony and parade took place at the stadium of the northwestern province of Dien Bien in the morning of May 7 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 - 2024).

Braving a rain in the early morning, tens of thousands of local residents and visitors flocked to the stadium and thoroughfares where the parade would move through to witness the event.

The celebration began with a flag raising ceremony and salute cannons, followed by a military parade and a procession of civil forces, according to VNA.

A force joining in the parade marking the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory at the stadium of Dien Bien province on May 7 morning (Photo: VNA)

The Dien Bien Phu Victory on May 7, 1954, forced the French colonialists to sit down at the negotiation table to discuss and sign the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina in July 1954, putting an end to the prolonged French colonial rule and heralding a new stage for the revolution in Indochina. This was a great and extremely significant victory in the history of Vietnam.

Under the Geneva Accords, for the first time, the French Government and each state participating in the Geneva Conference pledged to respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Vietnam and absolutely not to intervene in the country’s internal affairs. The French troops must withdraw while North Vietnam was completely liberated, embarking on the building of socialism and becoming a large and firm rear for people in the South to push ahead with the struggle for national liberation and reunification.

Vietnam, Australia seek opportunities for trade and investment promotion

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam recently had a meeting with Senator Don Farrell, Special Minister of State and Minister for Trade and Tourism of Australia, at the Australian Parliament headquarters.

During the course of the meeting Senator Farrell hailed the positive developments made in terms of relations between the two countries, especially the upgrading of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the occasion of the official visit to Australia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in March.

Minister Farrell expressed his joy regarding the achievements relating to economics, trade, investment, and tourism co-operation, expressing satisfaction with the positive results recorded at the first annual dialogue between the two ministries.

He recalled good memories of Vietnam, its land, and people through his visits, especially places such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Ha Long Bay, reported VOV.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam (R) meets with Senator Don Farrell, Special Minister of State and Minister for Trade and Tourism of Australia.

The Minister also applauded the strengthening of exchanges between citizens of the two countries and promised to discuss plans with competent agencies to create the optimal conditions possible for Vietnamese students to go to South Australia, his homeland, to study.

For his part, Ambassador Tam shared with Minister Farrell the achievements and potential for economic, trade, investment, and tourism co-operation between the two countries, saying that this year there will be many delegations from Vietnamese localities and businesses heading to Australia to seek trade and investment promotion opportunities.

The Ambassador said that the number of Australian tourists coming to the nation is on the rise, reaching 97,500 in the first two months of the year, equal to 25% of the whole of 2023. The two countries have operated more direct flights, thereby helping to increase the number of two-way visitors.

The Vietnamese diplomat also made specific proposals aimed at promoting economic, trade, investment, and tourism ties between the two countries, including opening the door to Vietnamese agricultural products and strengthening linkages between both nations’ retail associations, while bolstering co-operation in developing the green economy and renewable energy.

Vietnam, Brazil enjoy strong trust, substantive cooperation over 35 years: Diplomat

Over the past 35 years, the relationship between Vietnam and Brazil has been developing positively in all fields, becoming more substantive and effective with closer political ties and trust, and expanded economic and trade cooperation, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Vietnam-Brazil diplomatic relations and the 17-year bilateral comprehensive partnership, the diplomat said this coincides with the first year of the implementation of the joint statement that leaders of the two countries released during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Brazil in September 2023, which was the first by a high-ranking leaders of Vietnam to the Latin American country in 16 years.

Since September 2023, the Brazilian side conducted two ministerial-level visits to Vietnam. During Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Luciana Santos’ visit to Vietnam in November 2023, the two sides highlighted the possibility of strengthening cooperation in promising areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, semiconductor, and biotechnology, he said.

During his visit in April, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira conveyed the invitation from President Lula da Silva to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and discuss measures to promote all-round cooperation between the two countries.

Along with the sound political-diplomatic relations, bilateral economic and trade partnership has been expanding, becoming a foundation for the long-term ties between the two countries.

Last year, two-way trade exceeded 7.11 billion USD, the ambassador noted, adding that the figure reached 2.2 billion USD in the first three months of this year, with Vietnam’s exports up 5.5% year on year to 676 million USD.

Businesses of the two sides have shown great interest in bolstering their partnership, especially in agriculture, he said.

Brazil is currently Vietnam's largest trading partner in Latin America and second in the Americas, after the US. Meanwhile, Vietnam is Brazil's leading partner among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries.

Ambassador Nghi affirmed that bilateral collaboration in other fields such as science - technology and culture, especially sports, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, has also been promoted. At the meeting between the Vietnamese Embassy and the Rio de Janeiro city government in March, the Brazilian side said that the country is ready to support Vietnam's youth, women's football teams, and futsal teams to develop.

Commenting on the future prospects of the Vietnam-Brazil relationship, the diplomat said that the official visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Brazil in September 2023 demonstrated Vietnam’s wish to strengthen bilateral political trust and foster collaboration in all fields, from politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, culture, education, and tourism.

Vietnam and Brazil are working together to promote the efficiency of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Agriculture and Science, Technology and Political Consultation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, while expanding dialogue and cooperation among ministries, sectors and businesses, and completing the legal framework to foster cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture as well as people-to-people exchanges and cooperation among friendship organizations and localities.

He said he hopes this year, the two sides will continue increasing delegation exchanges at high and all levels. Vietnam hopes to welcome Brazilian President Lula da Silva this year. The ambassador expects the activities will receive active response from businesses of the two sides in the fields of science-technology, agriculture, agricultural product processing, sports, tourism, health care and education.

The ambassador expressed his hope that in the coming time, Vietnam and Brazil will promote sports, cultural and artistic exchanges, and people-to-people exchanges, cited VNA.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil)

At multilateral forums, in the future, Vietnam and Brazil should further deepen their coordination on the foundation of common values such as support to an international system based on multilateralism, rule of law, peaceful settlement of disputes, with the United Nations (UN) as the center for global governance, stability, and prosperity, he said.

Vietnam needs to strengthen cooperative relations with Brazil in particular and countries in the region in general, especially those in the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR), which is helpful to negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and this bloc. Brazil is committed to expanding relations with ASEAN and its member states, and exploring new opportunities for cooperation in energy transition, science, technology, innovation, and industrial and agricultural policy, while Vietnam plays a key role in this agenda as an important partner of Brazil in Southeast Asia, he said.

The diplomat also highlighted many activities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Vietnam-Brazil diplomatic relations and the 17-year bilateral comprehensive partnership, including a friendship meeting held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil in March. The Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil and the Brazilian Embassy in Vietnam plan to organize a week of film, painting and photo exhibition in the two countries this year.

The Brazilian side has proposed activities to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh in Rio de Janeiro, including the naming of a street after Vietnam, and a painting contest on the Vietnamese leader’s journey in Rio de Janeiro, said the diplomat.

Hanoi pilots parking cashless payment

The pilots began on April 15 and in spite of some early problems, drivers have been generally positive.

Hanoi has begun piloting cashless parking services at seven locations.

The pilots began on April 15 and in spite of some early problems, drivers have been generally positive.

With nearly eight million vehicles in the city, the demand for parking spaces is huge, especially in the inner city.

However, the limited land available for parking lots has proved an opportunity for some individuals and organizations to make profits, pushing up parking prices. Even though the parking fee should be public, some parking lots have been deliberately ignoring the rules and charging a different price.

The cashless system is how the Hanoi Department of Transport plans on tackling the problem.

A driver using a QR code to pay their parking fee. Photo kinthedothi.vn

The seven location for the pilots are lots on Tran Quang Khai, Phan Chu Trinh, Ly Thuong Kiet, Phu Doan, Ly Thai To and Nguyen Thuong Hien streets.

"We choose Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to deploy cashless payment at parking lots. This technology is considered highly accurate and is applied by countries with similar traffic backgrounds to Vietnam such as Malaysia and Singapore,” said Tran Ngoc Kien, project manager of Vietnam Electronic Toll Collection (VETC) company.

“In Vietnam, the RFID technology has already been successfully applied at toll stations on highways.

“With the experience of collection fees on highways, implementing cashless payment at parking lots is quite convenient, without technological obstacles.

“In fact, after just over two weeks, this type of a payment system has shown positive results and is generally supported by people as a way to gradually make non-cash payments in the transportation sector a habit."

Following a pilot of a cashless system at parking areas around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, one hundred per cent of car drivers paid without using cash, while the rate for motorbikes was between 90 – 95 per cent, cited VNS.

Phan Truong Thanh, head of the Financial Planning Division of the Hanoi Department of Transport, said: "The non-cash form will strengthen State management through controlling revenue and avoiding losses to the budget and help businesses reduce human resources and make statistics work in businesses much easier and more convenient.”

Cashless toll collection at parking spaces will also be the foundation of a smart digital map of Hanoi showing parking lots across the city which drivers can easily find.

The biggest difficulty facing the implementation of a cashless payment system is the sheer number of spontaneous parking lots, around 90 per cent of which are not under the management of the State.

Traffic expert Nguyen Manh Thang said: "If the city does not review spontaneous parking lots, it will be difficult for the city to tighten management and collect money for the budget. In addition, the inequality in management policies between licensed and unlicensed parking locations will also discourage many honest businesses, so they might find ways to circumvent and break the law."

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