On October 14 (New York time), the United Nations General Assembly held elections for the Human Rights Council’s 2026-2028 term at the UN headquarters. Vietnam secured 180 votes, the highest in the Asia-Pacific group.

In total, 190 eligible UN member states participated in the vote, electing 14 countries to the council: Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt, South Africa, Mauritius, Angola, Estonia, Slovenia, Chile, Ecuador, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

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The Vietnamese delegation after the UN General Assembly President announced the vote results. Photo: Vietnam News Agency 

Vietnam not only led the Asia-Pacific group in votes but also became the only country from this region currently serving on the 2023-2025 Human Rights Council to be re-elected for the next term.

This result reflects the trust and high regard of the UN member states for Vietnam’s strong commitments and efforts to promote and protect human rights, along with its contributions and initiatives during the 2023-2025 term.

It also affirms the international community’s confidence in Vietnam’s open foreign policy, active participation in multilateral mechanisms, and achievements in global integration. This recognition further highlights Vietnam’s growing stature as a proactive and reliable partner for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.

As it begins its third term on the UN Human Rights Council, Vietnam will continue advancing eight priority areas: enhancing the Council’s operational effectiveness; ensuring human rights in the context of climate change and digital transformation; promoting gender equality; protecting vulnerable groups; the right to health; the right to work; human rights education; and the right to education.

Vietnam pledges to contribute further to global efforts and address shared concerns regarding human rights under the guiding principle of “Respect and understanding - Dialogue and cooperation - All human rights for all people.”

As part of its candidacy for the 2026-2028 term, Vietnam made 12 voluntary commitments across a range of human rights issues and is dedicated to fully implementing them.

These commitments align not only with initiatives at the UN Human Rights Council and related international and regional human rights mechanisms but also with Vietnam’s engagement in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, cycle IV, and treaty bodies of which it is a member.

Vietnam’s voluntary pledges are closely tied to nationally strategic priorities that require transformative breakthroughs to propel the country into a new era of development, with a target of becoming a high-income, developed nation by 2045.

Key priorities include building a rule-of-law state, legal reform, international integration, innovation, and digital transformation.

Vietnam’s new term on the UN Human Rights Council will officially begin on January 1, 2026.

Tran Thuong