On April 27, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs chaired with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) an international workshop on experiences in developing reports under the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism (UPR) cycle IV.

Attending the conference were more than 100 delegates representing ministries, branches, central agencies, United Nations agencies, international organizations, embassies, non-governmental organizations, and socio-political organizations.

At the conference.

4 principles

Speaking at the opening session, Director of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Hai Anh said that this was an important event to kick off the series of events on UPR cycle IV that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would host in 2023.

Since its inception in 2008, the UPR mechanism has contributed significantly to realizing the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action (VDPA): everyone has the right to live in dignity, be respected, guaranteed and fully enjoy human rights.

These are also the core connotations and values that Vietnam, as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2023 - 2025 term, has initiated and, together with 12 other countries, recently promoted at the Human Rights Council through Resolution No. 52.

Director of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Hai Anh.

Mr. Pham Hai Anh said that throughout the process of participating in the UPR Mechanism, Vietnam has always shown a spirit of seriousness and responsibility, with an increasing rate of acceptance of recommendations, up to more than 83% in cycle III, higher than the average level of other countries.

Throughout the UPR process, Vietnam strives to ensure four principles: (i) implementation of UPR recommendations is associated with Vietnam's overall guidelines, policies and efforts on ensuring and promoting human rights, and building a socialist law-governed state; (ii) strengthening the association of the UPR Report with serious and effective implementation of approved recommendations, thereby creating positive changes in perfecting the policy and legal frameworks on human rights; (iii) promoting broad and constructive participation of relevant parties; and (iv) focusing on strengthening international cooperation.

With cycle IV, Vietnam is expected to submit a National Report to the Human Rights Council in early 2024, and the Human Rights Council will approve the results of the review with Vietnam at Session 57 (September 2024). On that basis, Vietnam hopes that ministries, branches, localities, United Nations agencies and international partners will continue to accompany and coordinate closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to complete the UPR Report on schedule and with high quality. 

Vietnam's efforts praised

Speaking at the Conference, United Nations Resident Coordinator Pauline Tamesis praised Vietnam's commitments and positive efforts with the UPR process, specially creating conditions for participation and comments from a wide range of stakeholders.

Ms. Tamesis emphasized that the implementation of UPR recommendations also contributes to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the context that progress in completing the SDGs on a global level is facing obstacles, because 39% of UPR recommendations are related to SDG 16 (peace, justice and institutions), 14% related to SDG 1 (eradicate poverty), 9% related to SDG 10 (reduce inequality), 8% related to SDG 4 (quality education), and 7% related to SDG 17 (partnership).

United Nations Resident Coordinator Pauline Tamesis.


Ms. Tamesis said that Vietnam’s self-reliance capacity is decisive for the results of UPR implementation, but international cooperation can play a positive complementary role. She affirmed that United Nations agencies will continue to accompany and support Vietnam in the UPR process in particular and efforts to ensure human rights in general.

Delegates contributed many diverse opinions and experiences on the practice of developing UPR Reports in the world and in Vietnam, linking the UPR process with policies and efforts, human rights, sustainable development, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, and improving transparency and broad participation of stakeholders.

Delegates also shared updated information on the implementation of UPR cycle III recommendations and the development of UPR cycle IV reports of countries. From there, we recommend a number of solutions for Vietnamese authorities to research and apply to improve the efficiency of building and completing the UPR Report in the coming time.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council was established in 2008 and is one of the outstanding successes, built on the principles of transparency, fairness, non-discrimination, and promoting dialogue and cooperation between countries.

With a consistent policy on protecting and promoting human rights, Vietnam pays special attention to and fully and seriously implements obligations and commitments under the UPR mechanism. In cycle III, Vietnam received 291 recommendations from 122 countries and accepted 241 of them.

Cycle IV of the UPR officially began at the end of 2022 and will end in 2027. This cycle takes place in a very special context when the world is experiencing instability due to multidimensional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts and other urgent global issues, adversely affecting people's lives, livelihoods and prospects for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In that context, human rights continue to be a universal global concern, reflecting the diverse needs, interests and approaches of countries and peoples, but also facing many difficulties and challenges that need to be resolved collaboratively.

Therefore, UPR cycle IV is expected to be an effective channel to help the international community perceive and evaluate more objectively and substantively the policies and efforts of countries in improving their ability to enhance benefit of human rights for all, eliminate inequality, discrimination and politicization.

Minh Vy - Le Thi Na - Nguyen Xuan Long