Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, Vietnamese permanent representative to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international organisations gave a speech at the 27th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on September 8.

Ambassador Thanh on behalf of ASEAN stressed that the promotion of human rights needs to be adapted to each country and region’s situation and regional grouping has renewed its commitment to protecting and promoting human rights

ASEAN vowed to continue working closely with the High Commissioner and hoped the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will ensure the neutrality and non-politicisation of its operations, Thanh said.

He congratulated the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, on behalf of ASEAN member states.

The new UN High Commissioners for Human Rights was present at the UNHRC’s 27th session, together with the heads of delegations from 47 UNHRC member nations, and representatives of over 100 observer countries and international organisations.

In his opening speech, UN High Commissioner Al underlined the importance of the UN mechanisms for protecting and promoting human rights, as well as the need to further enhance the roles of human rights organisations, UNHRC’s special procedures and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The UN official said priority should be given to human rights issues in specific regions, particularly conflict zones, and with regard to global matters, such as sustainable development.

During the opening session, representatives from 90 countries and international organisations also congratulated the new UN official and affirmed their close collaboration with the Office and UN Human Rights mechanisms.

The 27th session running until September 26, will have 9 working sessions and dialogues on nearly 20 mechanisms and human rights-related issues.

The UNHRC will also consider 40 draft resolutions and decisions, including ten related to human rights in current armed conflicts in the world.

VOV/VNN