General Secretary of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon will embark on a two-day visit to Vietnam from May 22-23, his second visit to the country since he took office in 2007.

The visit is designed to boost the relationship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the UN and increase the effectiveness of UN aid in implementing the post-2015 Development Agenda, particularly in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The relationship between Vietnam and the UN has been expanded and deepened over the years and leaders from both sides have had frequent contact.

Vietnam and the UN are coordinating to implement the UN’s joint plan for 2012-2016 in line with Vietnam’s social-economic development plan for 2011-2015 and its social-economic development strategy for 2011-2020.

Since becoming a member of the UN in 1977, Vietnam has made practical contributions to the UN’s activities in many fields, most noticeably completing its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2008-2009.

The country is also serving as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2013-2016 term.

Vietnam is enthusiastically participating in the UN’s peacekeeping activities and its reform initiatives.

The “One-UN Initiative” in Vietnam is the first of its kind implemented by the UN worldwide.

Established on October 24, 1945 with the initial 51 members, the UN currently has 193 member countries.

Composed of six main agencies, 20 professional organisations, five regional socio-economic committees, and dozens of offices and foundations, the UN has involved in a wide range of fields, from conflict prevention and settlement, environmental protection and sustainable development, to democracy promotion, human rights, gender equality, socio-economic development and climate change response.

With wide-ranging achievements, the UN has been acknowledged as a global organisation with extremely important role in the international political life, providing an indispensible foundation for the peaceful, prosperous and fairer world.