Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. (Photo: VGP)

President Phuc said the establishment and development of the UN is a symbol of strong trust in multilateralism and international cooperation. Guided by this faith, many regional organizations have been established and are thriving. As an active ASEAN member, Vietnam takes great pride in ASEAN’s success in building a region of peace, cooperation, trust, and dialogue, and a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community, striving toward an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture.

Vietnam proposes measures to build trust and prevent disputes

President Phuc said that while peace, cooperation, and development continue as the prevailing trend and fervent aspiration of all countries and peoples, the world we live in today is strewn with challenges.

“In the past five years, conflicts have taken away half a million lives across the globe. In 2020 alone, the world created 20 million refugees, more than 50 million people displaced due to conflicts, and 170 million in need of humanitarian assistance. These are people who have been left behind and are calling upon us to take action," said President Phuc. 

Against major challenges such as COVID-19, natural disasters, severe climate change, border and territorial disputes and conflicts, frictions, and geo-strategic competition, increased international unity is more crucial than ever, he said. 

"The paradox at present lies in our waning trust in one another and in multilateral institutions. The strengthening of unity is of great necessity, starting with the cooperation between the UN and the UNSC with regional organizations to prevent and resolve conflicts through dialogue and confidence-building.”

The President said the UN should take the lead in expanding cooperation activities and experience sharing and best practices in confidence-building and dialogue to prevent conflicts. On the other hand, regional organizations, with their unique strengths in practical experience, resources, and diverse demands, should bolster cooperation with the UN, engage in dialogues, and share experience at various forums to enhance capacity in preventing and resolving conflicts.

“We should continue to promote multilateralism and uphold the UN Charter and international law, for this is the most concrete and solid foundation for building trust and promoting dialogue. Conflict prevention requires inclusive and comprehensive solutions that address the root causes of conflicts, such as poverty, hunger, inequality and violence," he said.

The international community should strive to fulfill the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other global security and development strategies and initiatives led by the UN, paying greater attention and giving adequate assistance to developing countries who face serious resource constraints, the President noted.

Mr. Phuc said regional organizations need to integrate the UN’s development frameworks and initiatives into their national and regional development plans and should strive to narrow political, economic, and cultural gaps amongst themselves. It’s necessary to continue to strengthen cooperation between the UNSC and regional organizations through dialogue and co-operation frameworks and early warning mechanisms for volatilities.

President Phuc said in Southeast Asia, ASEAN is making every effort to fulfill the goal of building an ASEAN Community united in politics, diverse in culture, connected in economy, and with increased cooperation with external partners. As an active ASEAN member, Vietnam has gotten COVID-19 under control, achieved strong economic growth rate, and is actively engaged in international integration.

Vietnam insists on external policies of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multi-lateralization

Closing his speech, President Phuc said Vietnam is honored to assume the Presidency of the Security Council for the second time. With the aspiration of being a peaceful and prosperous nation, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community, Vietnam remains steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, sovereignty, diversification and multilateralization of relations, promoting international integration, and actively contributing to the efforts of the UN and the UNSC.

Mr. Phuc said faithful to the motto “Partnership for sustainable peace”, Vietnam will spare no effort to strengthen cooperation between the UN and regional organizations, including ASEAN, and leverage these ties for peace, security, and development around the world.