Francophone country

Xa Tac Temple (Photo: SGGP)

By Minh Tam – Translated by Kim Khanh

Then Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc attended and delivered remarks at an open debate of the UN Security Council in addressing climate-related risks to international peace and security, which was held in the form of video conference on February 23, 2021. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam for the second time assumed the role of rotating President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2020-2021 tenure this month, thus making a new and important imprint in the process of transforming from a participant to an active and proactive UN member.

VN grows up in UN

Thirty years after Việt Nam joined the UN on September 20, 1977, the country was elected for the first time as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2008-2009 tenure in the first secret ballot round in October 2017, with 183 votes of approval out of 192 General Assembly members participating in the ballot, or 96 per cent.

During its first tenure at the UNSC – the UN’s most important body in maintaining international peace and security – Việt Nam and other UNSC member states handled a large workload with more than 1,500 meetings, passed 113 Resolutions and 165 Presidential Statements and Press Statements on 50 agenda items, and dealt with complex issues regarding Kosovo, Iran’s nuclear programme, and Middle East peace, as well as those relating to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Myanmar.

Việt Nam made active and comprehensive contributions, from delivering speeches, participating in the making of resolutions and documents, assuming the posts of Chair or Vice Chair of several subcommittees, holding the post of UNSC President in July and October 2009, chairing negotiations for the council to approve Resolution No 1889 on women, peace, and security, and providing ideas to build the council’s Annual Report in a more practical and comprehensive manner.

“Việt Nam was on the UNSC 10 years ago in the 2008-2009 tenure,” said Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator. “It played an important role, contributing to a resolution on women, peace, and security which I think was a landmark resolution in the UNSC. Việt Nam has also been increasing its role in global peacekeeping.”

On June 7, 2019, Việt Nam was once again elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2020-2021 tenure, with 192 votes in favour out of 193 UN member nations.

The country’s election as a UNSC non-permanent member twice in just a short period was an important milestone in it transforming from a participant to an active and proactive member.

“This was the second time over the last more than 10 years that Việt Nam has been voted as a member of the UN body with a leading role in maintaining global peace and security, proving the international community’s recognition of its improving position as well as trust in its responsible contributions to regional and international peace and security in the coming years,” said then Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

Promoting multilateralism, respecting international law

Joining the UNSC for the second time amid complex developments in the world, Việt Nam has effectively implemented activities relating to the UNSC, completed the heavy workload in the first year of the tenure, and created its own imprint at the UNSC.

The country has actively proposed initiatives and played a leading role in several important issues.

While holding the UNSC Presidency in January 2020, Việt Nam successfully chaired an open debate on upholding the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security, and the first-ever meeting on cooperation between the UN and ASEAN, which combined the country’s dual role as UNSC non-permanent member and ASEAN Chair in 2020, thus helping enhance ASEAN solidarity and role and strengthening connectivity between the regional bloc and the UN and the UNSC.

In that month, the council held about 30 meetings and adopted 13 decisions, including four resolutions and one decision on extending UN missions, forces and mechanisms, one Chairman Statement, five press statements, and two press releases.

Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the UN, told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s correspondents at the UN that Việt Nam had done a good job despite formidable challenges when it took up the presidency of the UNSC at the beginning of its tenure as a non-permanent member of the council.

Việt Nam really left an imprint with the open debate on the 75th anniversary of the UN Charter, particularly in the context of mounting tensions in the UN as well as in the world, he added.

As a coordinator of the ten current non-permanent members (E10), in May 2020 Việt Nam actively resumed the annual meeting mechanism, disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, between the E10 and the UN Secretary General via videoconference.

It chaired a dialogue between the E10 and the five newly-elected non-permanent members (I5) with the theme “Joining Efforts for an Effective UNSC: Best Practices and Experiences for Elected Members” and an International Conference on Women, Peace and Security.

“Việt Nam fulfilled its duties as a non-permanent UNSC member in the first year of its membership, achieved set targets, and proactively and actively contributed to UNSC operations,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung.

The success gained in the first half of the 2020-2021 tenure is a firm foundation for Việt Nam to create more imprints in the second half and complete a successful tenure, contributing practically to maintaining regional and international peace and security and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development. — VNS

Seafarers wear protective clothing. — Photo vinalines.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has asked the Government to add seafarers and maritime workers to the list of frontline workers to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

This agency also requested the Government to direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help Vietnamese crew members who stuck abroad return home on repatriation flights.

Vietnamese seafarers who are quarantined in concentrated isolation areas should be prioritised at an affordable cost, the MoT said in the written request to governments and People’s Committees of provinces and cities.

At the end of March, leaders of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a joint statement calling on United Nations member states to put seafarers and crew members at the head of the vaccine queue to facilitate safe travel between countries.

In a letter sent to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Nguyễn Xuân Sang, Director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration and Deputy Secretary-General of the IMO Vietnam, asked IMO to prioritise COVID-19 vaccinations for sailors regardless of their nationality.

Sang proposed that IMO member countries include maritime workers on their priority lists , administering the vaccines to sailors and maritime workers on vessels that dock at ports under their management.

The Vietnam Shipowners’ Association the move is to keep nation supplied with vital goods and contributing to the recovery and stabilisation of the economy.

Volunteers injected with made-in-Vietnam COVID candidate vaccine

Six volunteers on Monday received the second shot of a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, COVIVAC.

These people were injected with the first shot of COVIVAC, Việt Nam’s second candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, on March 15.

The vaccine was developed by Nha Trang-based Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC).

Ninety-six volunteers have been had been given the first shot in the first phase of COVIVAC’s clinical trials, according to Phạm Thị Vân Anh, director of Centre for Clinical Pharmacology, Hà Nội Medical University.

There were no serious reactions after 24-hours and 7-days in the volunteers.

Reactions were expected, mostly mild symptoms such as pain at the injection site and headache.

It is expected that the first shot of COVIVAC vaccine’s test will be completed on April 18 for 120 volunteers. — VNS

Nguyễn Thuý Anh, Chairwoman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs and Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the Female NA Deputy Group speaks at the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐÀ NẴNG — To raise the amount of female deputies to the National Assembly (NA) and all-level People’s Councils requires strong, synchronous, and effective solutions as well as political resolve and efforts from female candidates, a meeting in central Đà Nẵng City was told on Monday.

Nguyễn Thuý Anh, Chairwoman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs and Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the Female NA Deputy Group, said legal regulations require that women must account for at least 35 per cent of the total number of female candidates for deputies to the NA and all-level People’s Council.

Although the rate to the 14th NA and all-level People’s Councils for 2016-2021 was higher than in the previous tenure, it failed to reach the targeted 30 per cent.

The world average rate is currently 25.5 per cent, and Việt Nam ranked 60th globally during the 14th tenure and fifth in Southeast Asia, after Timor Leste, Singapore, the Philippines, and Laos, she said.

Anh stressed that Việt Nam attaches importance to promoting gender equality and women’s engagement in politics, noting that the country’s constitution, policies, and laws on the matter have created a legal framework for women to play a role in political activities.

Lê Thị Nguyệt, Vice Chairwoman of the Committee, praised the contributions of female deputies to the country’s development, especially on issues regarding women, children, gender equality, and social welfare.

During the 14th tenure, they actively contributed opinions on draft laws, thematic supervision reports, and Q&A sessions, she added.

A focus of the meeting was how to improve female candidates’ election campaign skills, towards the goal of having more women representatives in elected bodies. — VNS