The year 2020 marked a milestone in Vietnam’s external affairs, especially multilateral diplomacy, when the country successfully performed its dual international responsibilities as the Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. This has been highly praised by the international community.

At the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on June 7, 2019, President of the United Nations Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa announced that Vietnam was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2020-2021 with 192 concurring votes out of the 193 member countries and territories of the United Nations. The result represented a record number of votes in the history of the United Nations (UN).

 

“Fulfilling the international responsibilities should be regarded as one of the leading political tasks of the Party and State.” Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong

Five months later, with the applause of thousands of international guests in Bangkok, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was handed the role of ASEAN Chair by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
 

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN). Photo: VNA  ASEAN member states’ ambassadors to the UN and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi posed for a photo at the meeting on cooperation between the UN and ASEAN on January 30, 2020 in New York. Photo: VNA  As the President of the UN Security Council in January 2020, Vietnam chaired the meeting on cooperation between the UN and ASEAN in New York. The meeting had the participation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi. Photo: VNA Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN on January 21, 2020 chaired the open debate of the UN Security Council on the Middle East situation, including Palestine. Photo: Khac Hieu/VNA Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh chaired the Ministerial Open Debate of the UN Security Council entitled “Toward the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations: Upholding the UN Charter to Maintain International Peace and Security” in New York on January 9, 2020. Photo: Khac Hieu/VNA Vietnamese medical officers of the Field Hospital Level 2 No 1 are on their UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. Photo: VNA Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on October 22, 2020 attended the ASEAN Smart Cities Summit & Expo 2020 in Hanoi. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA The Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the ASEAN Chair 2020 on June 26, 2020 spoke to open the 36th ASEAN Summit via video conference in Hanoi. Photo: VNA Head of the Party Central Committee’s Mass Mobilization Commission Truong Thi Mai hosted a reception in Hanoi on March 3 for a delegation of the ASEAN Community Women's Group led by Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga. Photo: Phuong Hoa/VNA Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung presented the symbolic gift representing Vietnam's medical equipment support for Laos to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh in April 2020 presented the Vietnam Red Cross Society’s 60,000 medical masks and 300 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Cambodia Red Cross Society to assist the country to fight COVID-19. Photo: Nguyen Vu Hung/VNA  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and delegates on January 6, 2020 pressed the button to launch the ASEAN 2020 website. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA A Resolution on the ASEAN-UN cooperation was adopted by consensus on November 23, 2020 at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly. The resolution was drafted by Viet Nam as the ASEAN Chair and sponsored by 110 countries. Photo: Huu Thanh/VNA The Vietnamese Prime Minister hands over the ASEAN chairmanship for 2021’s hammer to Brunei. Photo: Van Diep/VNA Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and delegates on November 15, 2020 attended the closing ceremony of the 37th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits via video conference. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the ASEAN Chair 2020 witnesses the signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  On November 15, 2020, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, ASEAN Chair 2020 and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres co-chaired the 11th ASEAN – UN Summit via video conference. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

Regarding its role as UNSC non-member, Vietnam, as a “partner for sustainable peace,” has always promoted the adherence to the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law. It supported the resolution of regional and international disputes and conflicts through negotiations, taking into account the legitimate interests of involved parties. The country also readily shared experience in national reconstruction and development, and regional and international integration.

Taking on the rotary presidency of the UNSC in January, Vietnam selected a priority theme of “Upholding the UN Charter to Maintain International Peace and Security”. A ministerial debate chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on this theme had 111 speeches, the highest number in the history of UN open debates. For the first time, UNSC issued a presidential statement reaffirming its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations. During its presidency, Vietnam also took the initiative of holding the first ever meeting at the UNSC on cooperation between the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 

“Given our solidarity and strong commitment, we will realize our goals for the ASEAN Community and its people.” Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

Vietnam has been listened to and respected by other countries in dealing with complex issues in Asia and received positive comments from the international press and scholars on its contributions to the UNSC.

The country has also proved its capacity in chairing and administering the activities of other bodies of the UNSC, especially the South Sudan Sanctions Committee. South Sudan is where Vietnam is running its second level-2 field hospital.

As the chair of ASEAN, under the theme “Cohesion and Proactive Adaption”, Vietnam successfully organized the 36th and 37th ASEAN Summits online and semi-onlineand more than 30 online ministerial-level and equivalent meetings as well as dozens of consultative meetings. The 37th ASEAN Summit and 20 related meetings adopted over 80 documents, the highest number of documents passed at an ASEAN sitting.

The initiatives of Vietnam as ASEAN Chair were well responded to by member countries, including the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund; the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies; and the Standard Operating Procedures for Public Health Emergency Response.

Owing to Vietnam’s efforts, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed and regarded as ASEAN’s biggest success in 2020, reaffirming the central role of the bloc in the economic structure of East Asia.
 

Story: VNP - Photos: VNA