UN should nurture multilateral cooperation initiatives: Vietnamese leader

High-level General Debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly was held virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic (Photo: VNA)

The UN must serve as the “incubator” for multilateral cooperation initiatives for peace, development and prosperity, stated Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong in his first-ever remarks sent to the High-level General Debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 25 (Vietnamese time).

The Vietnamese leader said that further reforms should be undertaken to transform the UN into a stronger and more effective organisation that can fulfill its role of harmonizing the interests and behaviours of states in the face of the monumental changes of the current time.

He stressed that the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international law must be upheld and advanced as the norms of behavior for all countries in contemporary international relations.

“The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a stern warning to us all, requiring our stronger commitments and stronger actions to promote sustainable, inclusive and human-centered development,” he said.

According to the leader, Vietnam attaches importance to cooperation with the UN and will work with other UN member states to make the organisation more democratic, transparent and effective.

As the 2020 ASEAN Chair, Vietnam is working with fellow member states to build a region of peace, friendship and cooperation, in order to realize the vision of ASEAN as a politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible community, pledged the leader.

“Together with countries within and outside the region, we are committed to the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability, maritime security and safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”, he stated.

He called on all concerned parties to exercise restraint, avoid unilateral acts that would complicate the situation, and settle disputes and differences through peaceful means with due respect for diplomatic and legal processes.

He noted that Vietnam was once a poor and backward country ravaged by war, strangled by embargo. After thirty-five years of “Doi Moi” reform, Vietnam has emerged as a middle-income developing country and is aiming to be a high-income industrial country by 2045.

In the fight against COVID-19, difficulties notwithstanding, Vietnam has recorded positive and noteworthy outcomes, he said, adding that the country has successfully contained the pandemic while promoting social and economic development.

Out of international solidarity and with the understanding thatthe pandemic is only defeated when we all win, Vietnam has engaged in cooperation and experience sharing with many countries, including support provided to those worst affected by the pandemic and to the common international efforts, said the leader.

In their remarks at the meeting, leaders of other UN countries highlighted unprecedented impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. They affirmed their strong commitments to promoting multilateralism and support to UN role as well as the strengthening of solidarity and mutual support in fighting the pandemic and recovering growth after the pandemic ends, and dealing with global challenges./.