VIET NAM’S 47-YEAR JOURNEY AS VALUED MEMBER OF THE UN

On October 2, 2018, the first 30 Vietnamese medical staff arrive in South Sudan to implement UN peacekeeping missions. (Photo: VNA)

Cooperation between Viet Nam and the United Nations (UN) over the last 47 years (September 20, 1977 – 2024) has contributed to protecting national interests, particularly in strengthening a peaceful and secure environment conducive to development, fostering deeper international integration, thus increasing Viet Nam’s position on the global stage.

Milestones in Viet Nam – UN relations

Immediately after becoming a UN member on September 20, 1977, Viet Nam leveraged the support and endorsement of member countries to secure the adoption of Resolution 32/2 by the UN General Assembly’s 32nd session (1977), which called on countries and international organisations to provide aid and assistance for Viet Nam’s post-war reconstruction.

The UN General Assembly’s 32nd session in New York on September 20, 1977 passed a resolution recognising Viet Nam as a member of the UN. (Photo: VNA file photo)

During Viet Nam’s Doi Moi (renewal) process (1986-2011), the UN’s non-refundable assistance for  Viet Nam exceeded 630 million USD. Since the early 1990s, many member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and international and regional financial organisations resumed aid for Viet Nam. However, the UN made up 30% of the country’s external sources of technical assistance.

Cooperation projects significantly supported the Vietnamese Government in making development policies and improving State agencies and their staff’s management capacity. The UN also made valuable contributions to the enhancement of local technical capacity, the development of human resources in science and technology, and the settlement of social issues in the country.

The Vietnamese Government is working with UNICEF and partners to reduce disparities and build an inclusive, non-discriminatory society, and prioritise protecting the rights of 26 million Vietnamese children, including the most disadvantaged and vulnerable ones. (Photo: UNICEF)

In the 2007-2011 period, implementing the foreign policy of multilateralism and diversification of foreign relations, Viet Nam made use of the UN as a forum for strengthening ties with its organisations and international organisations. Notably, during this time, Viet Nam fulfilled its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2008 – 2009 term. The country proactively coordinated with UN development organisations to pilot the “One UN” initiative, which was praised by donors.

Viet Nam successfully fulfills its mission as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2008-2009 tenure. In the photo: Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem chairs a series of discussions of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council. (Photo: VNA)

Within the framework of the UN Delivering as One (DaO) initiative, the Government of Viet Nam and the UN actively coordinated to implement the UN One Plan for the 2012-2016 period in accordance with the five-year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP) and the Socio-Economic Development Strategy (SEDS) of Viet Nam.

The plan prioritised three main areas, including growth quality, access to social protection and social services, and voice and public governance enhancement.

In 2017-2021, the two sides completed the Joint One Strategic Plan (OSP) within the framework of the “One UN” initiative signed in July 2017 to support the Vietnamese Government in implementing the Socio-Economic Development Plan in the 2016-2020 period and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At that time, Viet Nam approved the national cooperation programmes between the country and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as the Viet Nam-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in the 2022-2026 period.

Viet Nam achieves most of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule. The country also makes positive contributions to the development and implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, and is a pioneer in adopting new models of cooperation. (Photo: VNA)

At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), Viet Nam participated and promoted important multilateral initiatives. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a commitment to bringing net emissions to zero by 2050. Viet Nam joined the Global Methane Pledge to cut at least 30% of methane emissions by 2030, the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, the Global Coal to Clean Power Transition statement, and the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH).

At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh makes a commitment to bringing net emissions to zero by 2050. (Photo: VNA)

Viet Nam also coordinated well with the UN in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN General Assembly approved Viet Nam’s initiative with a resolution proclaiming December 27 as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Viet Nam received more than 61.7 million doses of vaccine through the COVAX Facility and medical supplies worth 45 million USD from UN organisations. Viet Nam contributed 50,000 USD to the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund and one million USD to COVAX. The country also became a place to receive and treat patients under the UN medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) mechanism.

Amidst the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Viet Nam has donated 500,000 USD to humanitarian relief activities to support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

Viet Nam’s contributions to the UN

In recent years, Viet Nam actively engaged in the UN’s efforts to address regional and international peace and security issues and promote human rights. Viet Nam participated in negotiating and signing the 2018 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), becoming the 10th country to ratify the treaty.

In the field of UN peacekeeping, Viet Nam deployed 493 military officers to UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Department of Peace Operations at the UN headquarters. It also deployed four Field Hospitals No. 2 at the UN mission in South Sudan and one engineering unit at the UN mission in Abyei (the area of dispute between South Sudan and Sudan). Viet Nam is one of the countries with the highest female participation rate among countries sending peacekeepers.

On the other hand, Viet Nam has made increasingly substantive contributions to the UN, including upholding the role of the UN and multilateralism; promoting respect for the UN Charter, international law, equal relations, and development cooperation between countries and the nations’ right to self-determination. It has opposed acts of oppression, invasion and unilateral embargo in international relations; participating in the discussion and adoption of many important UN resolutions and declarations on development cooperation, disarmament, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, anti-terrorism, and human rights protection.

Viet Nam is hailed by the UN and the international community as a successful example in implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and a country that is determined and committed to realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Viet Nam has also been active in promoting initiatives to reform the UN, and is considered one of the leading countries in implementing the UN “Delivering as One” initiative to increase the effectiveness of UN operations at the national level.

Viet Nam officially wins the election to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2020-2021 after getting 192 votes out of the 193 member countries and territories of the UN General Assembly on June 7 evening (Viet Nam time). In the photo: Foreign Deputy Minister Le Hoai Trung receives congratulations from diplomatic representatives of other countries after the election. (Photo: VNA)

Thanks to its contributions, Viet Nam has been elected to many UN agencies in important positions, such as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 term, a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the 2021-2023 term, a member of the Postal Operations Council (POC) of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for the 2022-2025 term, and Vice President of UN General Assembly’s 77th session (September 2022 – 2023). Viet Nam is now a member of three important UNESCO mechanisms, including the Executive Board in the 2021-2025 tenure, the Inter-Governmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in the 2021-2025 tenure, and the Inter-Governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the 2022-2026 tenure. It was also elected to the International Law Commission (ILC) for the 2023-2027 tenure, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in the 2023-2025 tenure, and the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) for the 2023-2027 term.

Throughout its journey with the UN, Viet Nam has increasingly established itself as an active and responsible member, making effective contributions that are highly valued by the international community.

  • Gallery ImageViet Nam’s active participation in UN peacekeeping operations since 2014 is a significant policy and decision of the Party and State in the process of international integration, reflecting Viet Nam’s position and strength on the global stage. (Photo: VNA)

During his visit to Viet Nam in October 2022 on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the country’s membership in the UN, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his admiration for Viet Nam’s achievements. He highlighted that Viet Nam had transitioned from a recipient of UN assistance to become one of the world’s country exporting food exporters and contributing significantly to UN peacekeeping activities.

The UN will continue to support Viet Nam’s development priorities, and back the country to continue playing the role of the host and chair of major international events and conferences on marine and ocean issues in the future

UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Regarding Viet Nam’s role and position in the region and the world, UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam Pauline Tamesis said that since joining the UN in September 1977, Viet Nam has transformed from a country dependent on UN assistance to one that has strongly contributed to the regional and global agenda, demonstrating its role as an increasingly active member of the international community, including contributions to peacekeeping missions and the UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda.

She spoke highly Viet Nam’s dynamic and positive contributions as a UN member in recent years, noting that the relationship between Viet Nam and the UN is “very strong and special,” helping the two sides overcome past global challenges and better prepare for future ones.

The relationship between Viet Nam and the UN is “very strong and special,” helping the two sides overcome past global challenges and better prepare for future ones.
                          UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam Pauline Tamesis

From the period of post-war national reconstruction to the era of breaking the embargo and increasingly international integration, cooperation between Viet Nam and the UN has been of great significance, resulting in positive effects while meeting Viet Nam’s requirements and interests in each period, and contributing to strengthening the role and voice of Viet Nam at the UN.

These results have created favourable conditions for joint efforts of Viet Nam and the UN in overcoming existing problems, improving the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation, and supporting Viet Nam’s national development and international integration as well as increasing the role of the UN in the new era./.

Source: VNA