Security 2016

At the videoconference (Photo: VNA)

New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy , Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, on February 24 underscored the importance of international assistance in the conflict-affected Central African Republic at an UN Security Council (UNSC) videoconference, which discussed ongoing violence in the country.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix , UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, told the conference that the Central African Republic has continued to suffer from violence despite the announcement of the official result of the presidential election in December 2020.

Citing important progress in recent weeks in combating the armed coalition group known as Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement, he said the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is providing security to thousands of internally displaced persons, while also supporting efforts to safeguard the democratic order.

The Central African Republic has now become the most dangerous place for humanitarian work, with over 46 percent of worldwide incidents registered by international non-governmental organisations reported in the country.

In his speech, Quy said Vietnam backs the recent efforts of the UN as well as of regional and subregional organisations, including the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, to support the Central African Republic.

He took the occasion to urge all concerned parties to resolve differences in a peaceful manner. This effort towards political stability and reconciliation must go hand in hand with the promotion of trust and confidence, he noted.

Calling for the sides involved to respect the election results and handle differences through dialogues, representatives from other UNSC members stressed the importance of implementing the 2019 peace agreement between the local government and armed groups to facilitate long-term political measures.

They supported the efforts made by the African Union and the MINUSCA in the matter./.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy , Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN (Photo: VNA)

New York (VNA) – Vietnam is concerned about cases of using or threatening to use force in international relations, which go against the UN Charter and harm international peace and security, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, has said.

Quy was addressing an UN Security Council (UNSC)’s videoconference Arria-formula meeting on February 24 themed “Upholding the collective security system of the UN Charter: the use of force in international law, non-state actors and legitimate self-defense” with the participants of nearly 30 member countries of the UN Security Council and the UN.

He stressed that all countries are obliged to build friendship relations and form a culture of upholding the UN Charter and international law as well as abiding by principles in sovereignty and territorial integrity, not interfering into internal affairs of other states, not using or threatening to use force, and dealing with disputes peacefully.

The diplomat said that the UNSC should work to enhance the observance of international law and promote the role of international law and UN Charter as a vital tool in maintaining international peace and security, while increasing its coordination with regional organisations and international legal agencies in coping with disputes, maintaining peace and preventing conflicts.

He underlined the need to avoid the abuse and re-explanation of the UN Charter, suggesting the UNSC continue to creating favourable conditions for countries to get access to affairs and documents of the council to promote open and transparent discussions in the field.

Noting that this topic has been mostly discussed among scholars, Naz Modirzadeh, Director of the Harvard Law School Programme on International Law and Armed Conflict, said that all countries are authorised and responsible in building international law, including the responsibility in protecting the principle of not using force.

She proposed that all countries should actively engage in open discussions on the theory of the rights to self-defence and improve the capacity to get access to announcements and discussions at the UNSC in the field.

Participants at the event underlined the principle of not using or threatening to use force, which is a foundation for the collective security system in line with the UN Charter and the UNSC’s function in maintaining international peace and security.

They affirmed that the only exception is the case that is allowed by the UNSC or to implement the right to self-defence. They called for the upholding of the UN Charter in maintaining international peace and stability, while exchanging ideas on the explanation and application of Article 51 of the UN Charter on the legal basis for the use of force as a means of self-defence, as well as on the situation in specific countries and regions./.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Leaders of many countries in the world have extended their congratulations to Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong over his re-election as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the 13th tenure.

He expressed a belief that with joint efforts, the two countries will continue to promote bilateral constructive dialogues and effective cooperation in all fields, which meets the interest of the people of both Russia and Vietnam and contributes to ensuring stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden appreciated the commitments made by General Secretary Trong to promoting the US-Vietnam partnership, and expressed his wish to further bolster the bilateral ties.

He also welcomed the Vietnamese Party leader’s efforts in fighting corruption and promoting good governance, and wished the Party General Secretary success in his position.

The US President stressed that cooperation among the US, Vietnam and the ASEAN is very important to promoting shared priorities in the context of grave challenges facing the international community.

The message from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind noted that under General Secretary Trong’s leadership, the special and time-tested relations between India and Vietnam have witnessed unprecedented development in the past decade with the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

He said he wishes to continue working with the Vietnamese leader to further promote the relationship between the two states and two peoples, saying that the close coordination and partnership between the two countries in the post-pandemic world will contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said he was honoured to meet and talk with General Secretary Trong during his visit to Vietnam, his first trip abroad after taking office as the PM of Japan. He expressed a hope that he and the Vietnamese Party leader will continue to coordinate in the time ahead to further develop and deepen the extensive strategic partnership of the two countries across the fields from politics and security to economics and trade.

As the world is facing unprecedented threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan wishes to stand side by side with the international community, including Vietnam, to overcome difficulties and challenges, Suga wrote, noting his hope that the Japan-Vietnam cooperative relationship will continue to be strengthened even during the pandemic.

President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in praised the efforts of the Vietnamese Party leader to develop the RoK-Vietnam ties over the past time. He said he hopes to continue working with General Secretary Trong for the development of the two countries’ strategic cooperative partnership in the time ahead.

In his message, French President Emmanuel Macron noted that the two countries have made joint efforts to enhance their friendship and cooperation for many years. He highlighted the visit by General Secretary Trong to France in March 2018 as a strong boost to bilateral ties. The President affirmed that France wants to work together with Vietnam to overcome great global challenges, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and preservation of biological diversity.

Macron hoped that the two sides will join hand to further deepen bilateral ties in economics, culture, health care and national defence. He reiterated France’s strong commitment to ASEAN and close cooperation in multilateral institutions such as the UN Security Council on the basis of international law.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote in his message that under the leadership of General Secretary Trong, Vietnam has made strong leaps in the past decade. He stressed that the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam marked the start of a new key period in Vietnam’s socio-economic development.

Singapore and Vietnam are both traditional friends and strategic partners, and have always cooperated closely and effectively in both bilateral and ASEAN frameworks, he said, affirming his belief that the close bilateral relations will continue to be promoted in the years to come.

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha wrote in his message that the outcomes of the Congress demonstrated the trust of the Vietnamese Party and people in Party General Secretary Trong.

“I believe that under your sound leadership, Vietnam will continue to develop more strongly,” he said, and re-affirmed Thailand’s firm commitment to further deepening the enhanced strategic partnership with Vietnam.

The Thai PM expressed his wish that the two countries will cooperate more closely for the interest of their people and for peace and development in the region./.

The Hanoitimes – Vietnam has been on way to pursue an energy transition that reduce carbon emission and develop renewable sources in an effort to combat climate change .

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been considered a source of energy that is able to meet Vietnam’s rising power demand and clean enough in comparison with coal power which the country is advised to minimize from now on.

Vietnam has been on way to pursue an energy transition that reduces carbon emission and develops renewable sources in an effort to combat climate change and there will be room in the country’s mix for fossil fuels as long as they are clean, a local expert has said.

Dang Huy Dong, president of Vietnam’s Planning and Development Institute. Photo: MPI

“Gas is by far the cleanest fossil fuel,” Dang Huy Dong, president of Vietnam’s Planning and Development Institute, said at the Future Energy Asia 2020 forum in Bangkok last month.

Gas, particularly LNG, is the only meaningful solution for Vietnam to reduce emissions in the context that the potential of hydropower is almost exhausted while solar and wind power are not reliable enough, the Bangkok Post quoted Dong as saying.

“Only gas could provide Vietnam with a practical energy supply, in particular LNG,” according to Dong, who is a former deputy minister of Planning and Investment.

He attributed the choice of gas to falling fuel prices, improved efficiency and technologies. At the same time, the price of coal-fired power is rising due to supply and financial limitations.

For the aforementioned reasons, Dong believes Vietnam needs to move away from coal to other sources, as China and many other countries are doing.

“In the interests of environmental protection and sustainable development, more and more provinces in Vietnam are demanding a change from coal projects to LNG power projects,” he said.

Vietnam’s power demand and the government’s choice

Vietnam’s energy sources. Data: MOIT/Bangkokpost. Chart: Linh Pham

Currently, coal-fired power plants generate about 39% of the electricity consumed in Vietnam. Hydropower accounts for 35%, gas-fired power 18.5%, and renewables 7.2%.

Over the past decade, hydropower generating capacity has recorded the highest growth rate in Vietnam. The country now has 5,500 megawatts (MW) solar capacity, representing 40% of all such capacity in Southeast Asia. This suggests a boom in renewable energy projects in Vietnam, where more attractive feed-in tariff (FIT) policies have been introduced for solar and wind power.

However, as the second largest power market in ASEAN, the country of 95 million is facing a critical supply challenge, with a need to triple capacity by 2030, the expert said.

“Rapid urbanization and industrialization have driven up electricity consumption in Vietnam dramatically,” he said, adding that southern Vietnam was at risk of being undersupplied.

In addition to expanding capacity, Vietnam has encouraged energy efficiency and renewable energy, reduction of CO2 emissions and creation of an energy market through the country’s eighth National Power Development Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period.

Furthermore, the government sees an efficient and reliable power supply as critical for socio-economic development. In 2016, it abandoned plans for nuclear development, citing safety concerns following the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. It has resulted in a shift in long-term planning to include other sources to replace the planned nuclear capacity.

Remarkably, Vietnam is also interested in greater integration of power development throughout Southeast Asia, deploying cheaper sources as well as optimizing system operations.

“I think this is somewhat in line with the (goals of) interconnectivity and interconnection within ASEAN,” Dong emphasized.