Việt Nam shares experience in poverty reduction, crisis management at UN session

Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN. — VNA/VNS Photo

Việt Nam shared its experience in poverty reduction and overcoming crises, at the 60th session of the UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD) taking place from February 7-16 in New York.

Addressing a session on COVID recovery and eradicating poverty, Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, stressed that post-pandemic recovery was unequal across the world.

The process of implementing sustainable development goals (SDG) in 2030 had been interrupted, especially in poverty reduction, he noted.

The ambassador underlined that sustainable poverty reduction could only be reached if threats in food security were settled alongside legal frameworks and policies focused on easing reduction and inequality as well as ensuring livelihoods.

Quý held that to ensure food security, an important foundation for poverty reduction, countries should strengthen investment in science, technology and renovation of the agricultural sector.

"Việt Nam is willing to engage in UN cooperation frameworks and hopes to become a food innovation centre of the region," he said, highlighting the measures and achievements of Việt Nam in poverty reduction and food security protection.

"Việt Nam is committed to fully realising SDGs for a sustainable future for all people," he added.

Measures proposed by Việt Nam at the session focused on dealing with the root cause of poverty and inequality, including strengthening education and training and job creation and improving connectivity among social welfare policies and agriculture.

The international community should increase multilateral cooperation and optimise resources for comprehensive recovery and to settle the debt crisis, he said.

At the session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that post-pandemic recovery was a chance for countries to build and develop long-term policy frameworks to achieve SDGs.

Abdulla Shahid, president of the UN General Assembly, stressed the need to draw lessons for the post-pandemic period, calling for the integration of SDGs into the plans of reconstruction for better, and proposed several measures.

Collen Vixen Kelapile, president of the UN Economic and Social Council, said that developing countries, especially in Africa, were being left behind with slow economic growth and poor access to vaccines and financial resources.

Participants shared their experiences and initiatives on social policies to minimise the impacts of the pandemic, especially poverty reduction and the settlement of food security challenges.

Việt Nam willing to promote cooperation with UN on peacekeeping

Việt Nam is ready to enhance cooperation with the United Nations on peacekeeping missions, Deputy Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations Nguyễn Phương Trà has said.

Speaking at an annual meeting of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, known as C-34, held on Monday, Trà said Việt Nam paid great attention to the participation in peacekeeping missions, especially ensuring the safety and security of peacekeepers as well as securing resources and enhancing the role of regional organisations such as ASEAN.

The diplomat also said the country was one of the four training centres for peacekeepers in Southeast Asia and stood ready to enhance collaboration.

At the meeting, attended by President of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions of the Department for Peace Operations Alexandre Zouev, and representatives of nearly 60 countries, participants discussed the safety and security of peacekeepers, greater participation of women in peace processes, and securing finance for peacekeeping operations.

They also highlighted the role of the committee, with some suggesting that the application of technology should be enhanced in peacekeeping operations along with cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations in resolving the root causes of conflicts.

The two officials said the C-34 would push the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) Plus plan in 2021-2023 in seven priority areas.

C-34 is a specialised committee of the UN General Assembly, which holds meetings in February and March every year to consult and compile reports on issues related to peacekeeping to submit to the UN General Assembly. — VNS