Deputy head of the Vietnamese delegation in Geneva Cung Duc Han (fourth from left) and members of the inter-agency Vietnamese delegation, during the voting on resolutions. Photo: VNA  

Vietnamese delegates have actively joined multiple meetings and debates within the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), highlighting Vietnam’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights and stressing the importance of bridging political division and fostering cooperation and trust through dialogue.

The session, concluded on October 8 after nearly five consecutive weeks, spotlighted Vietnam’s active participation and important contributions, laying an important foundation for the Southeast Asian country to seek re-election to the UNHRC.

In his speech at an emergency discussion on September 16 regarding Israel’s attack on Qatar, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO), and other international organisations in Geneva, who led the Vietnamese to the event, condemned the use of force and violations of international law, the UN Charter, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. He called on all parties to exercise restraint, avoid escalating tensions, resolve disputes by peaceful measures, and create favourable conditions for negotiating a comprehensive ceasefire agreement.

Vietnam chaired the drafting and delivery of a joint statement on promoting the human right to vaccination, which received broad support and is now co-sponsored by 51 countries from all continents.

The Vietnamese delegation also engaged in discussion sessions on topics related to youth and human rights, the impact of climate change on human rights, access to clean water and sanitation, and the rights of older persons, during which they briefed on measures that Vietnam has implemented to promote and protect the rights of vulnerable groups.

Alongside other ASEAN countries, the Vietnamese delegation also made joint statements on shared regional concerns, including technical cooperation, capacity building, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.

The Vietnamese delegation actively participated in all activities of the UNHRC, from bilateral and multilateral consultations to contributing to the drafting of documents, co-sponsoring initiatives, and delivering joint statements in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.

These efforts clearly demonstrated Vietnam’s consistent policy on promoting and protecting human rights, and making practical contributions to the UNHRC’s activities in line with the UN Charter and international law.

Vietnam’s active and responsible presence at this session holds great significance as it marked Vietnam’s final session as a member the UNHRC for the 2023–2025 term, affirming the country’s proactive, constructive, and responsible role in global human rights issues.

Successfully completing its 2023-2025 tenure provides an important foundation for Vietnam to further enhance its reputation and create favourable momentum for its re-election to the UNHRC in the 2026–2028 tenure, thereby contributing actively and proactively to the Council’s work under the UN motto "Respect - Understanding, Dialogue - Cooperation, All Human Rights for All"./.