The United Nations Security Council meets at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., March 12, 2018. Photo: Reuters/Mike Segar.

During the tenure, the country has achieved all set goals amidst complicated and unpredictable socio-economic, political, and security developments as well as unprecedented challenges, including the widespread impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, heard a meeting on December 28 reviewing the country's performance during the tenure.

The meeting was the last held by the inter-sectoral working group on Vietnam's work as a UNSC non-permanent member, under the chair of its head, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang.

During the period, the council held some 840 ambassador-level meetings and approved more than 240 documents on 60 different agenda items. Vietnam served as President of the Security Council twice in January 2020 and April 2021, according to VietnamPlus.

Vietnam’s proposals approved by the Security Council consisted of two resolutions on reappointing the prosecutor and reviewing the two-year operation of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) and on the protection of essential infrastructure; three President's statements on respecting the UN Charter, strengthening the relationship between the UN and regional organisations in promoting trust-building and resolving the consequences of mines; one press statement on terrorist attack in Indonesia; and the Hanoi declaration on women, peace and security. Events and documents chaired by Vietnam received the active response and participation of other members.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang speaks at the meeting. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Speaking at the event, Giang attributed the Vietnam’s successful tenure to the participation of the whole political system under the close direction of the Party and State; the consistency in principles and flexibility in strategy; and sound coordination among concerned ministries and sectors, along with thorough and early preparations.

He also highlighted Vietnamese people’s support and consensus as well as international friends’ trust and assistance for Vietnam during the period.

The official asked the working group to draw lessons from such experience, and make policy recommendations to boost external relations works, including multilateral diplomacy, in realising the nation's development goals set out at the 13th National Party Congress.

Valuable contributions

UK Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Barbara Woodward, said in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents at the UN that Vietnam has made valuable contributions as a non-permanent member of the UNSC.

The UK diplomat said 2021 has been a year of big transnational challenges, such as COVID-19, climate change, and conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan or Afghanistan, which resulted in a very heavy agenda for the Security Council.

According to her, the strength of the Security Council is that it brings a variety of perspectives and members try and reach agreement through views that they share and through their differences. “And in all of these crises, I think we have managed to come together, working very, very closely with Vietnam,” Woodward said.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the UN Security Council's high-level discussion on climate change. Photo: VNA

Asked about the role of non-permanent members (E10), particularly Vietnam in addressing the issues, the UK diplomat said the council relies on the E10 as completely full members of the Security Council. The division of labour and the burden of responsibility falls very evenly across the E10, she said.

Woodward said she wanted to pay tribute to Vietnam, because the country has worked on issues which are important, but often underlying so looking at the role of women in peace and security work, protecting civilians who are threatened by conflict or taking action against mines and land mines. She added that all of those issues are integral to global peace and security, so they are really valuable contribution from Vietnam as a member of the E10.

The ambassador went on to say that it has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Vietnam on the Security Council, adding that the really good news is that Vietnam will continue to work on these important issues in the General Assembly and in the many UN committees./.

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