Promoting effective cooperation with the United Nations (UN) is always a top priority of Vietnam’s foreign policies, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said while addressing a ceremony to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Vietnam’s membership to the UN in Hanoi on October 17.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of Vietnam's membership to the United Nations

Since its establishment in 1945, the UN has been leading in the world in peacekeeping activities, preventing conflicts, promoting cooperation and development, and ensuring human rights, the PM said.

He recalled the event on September 20, 1977 when the UN General Assembly admitted Vietnam as the 149th member, which marks the UN’s recognition of the independence, freedom and unification of the Southeast Asian country, progressing to “Doi moi” (renewal) and international integration.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people, the PM thanked the UN and international community for their valuable assistance for Vietnam over the past four decades.

He noted that development and cooperation targets could only be achieved in the condition of peace and stability, which is particularly meaningful to the Asian-Pacific region.

Vietnam hopes the UN will further promote its role in maintaining peace, international security, preventing and accelerating the settlement of disputes via peaceful means and on the basis of respecting the UN Chapter and international law, he said.

Vietnam pledges to continue to be a member of UN agencies and expand peacekeeping operation as well as implement the sustainable development agenda and the Paris agreement on climate change, he said.

The country hopes to receive international support to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, he added.

The PM also called on the UN, development partners and international friends to continuously support Vietnam to implement successfully its renewal process to achieve sustainable development and prosperity.

On this occasion, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a congratulatory message to the Vietnamese people and Government, saying that the international community has considered Vietnam, with numerous efforts in Doi moi, as a successful example of development. 

He applauded Vietnam’s commitments to the South-South Cooperation and affirmed the UN’s commitment to continue strong cooperation with the country, while expressing his hope that the country will further engage in UN peacekeeping operations.

In his speech, UN Resident Coordinator to Vietnam Kamal Malhotra highly valued Vietnam-UN cooperation over the past four decades. He hailed Vietnam’s efforts in achieving most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before 2015, voicing his belief that with its strong political resolve and experience in the MDGs realisation, the country will attain the Sustainable Development Goals with greater results.

From an ODA receiver, Vietnam has become a development partner, actively contributed to the maintenance of international peace and security, and helped to prevent and peacefully solve disputes and conflicts in the world on the basis of the UN Charter, he noted.

Malhotra said UN organisations will continue supporting the country to deal with challenges through high-level policy consultation, experience sharing, and expertise provision, thus helping to carry out innovative and feasible solutions towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

As part of the ceremony, PM Phuc and Resident Coordinator Malhotra cut the ribbon to launch an exhibition of the 40-year relationship between Vietnam and the UN.

VNA