Party General Secretary and President To Lam had meetings with leaders of a number of international organisations in New York on September 24 (local time), as part of his US trip.
Meeting UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Lam praised the increasingly important role of the UN in global governance, promoting multilateral cooperation, upholding international law, narrowing the gap and promoting development, and ensuring full participation of all countries.
He thanked UN agencies in Vietnam for supporting the country in overcoming consequences of Typhoon Yagi, proposing that the UN promote cooperation to enhance the capacity of countries to respond to natural disasters and manage risks and disasters.
The top leader of Vietnam suggested that the UN Secretary-General continue to promote cooperation in energy transition, green transition, digital transformation, and digital governance system building, taking into account the interests of developing countries, including Vietnam.
Guterres, who once took to the streets to support Vietnam's resistance war, expressed his special sentiments for Vietnam, and highly valued the role, position and socio-economic development achievements of Vietnam.
He lauded the active engagement of Vietnam in important UN agencies as well as in all priority areas of the UN’s activities, especially in peacekeeping, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, responding to climate change, and promoting just energy transition.
The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen dialogue and further deepen the Vietnam-UN and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-UN relations in the coming time, promoting ASEAN's central role in settling regional issues, especially in maintaining peace and stability in the region, and peacefully resolving disputes in the East Sea in compliance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
They reached consensus on cooperation measures for promoting sustainable development, putting the 2030 Agenda back on track, speeding up energy transition, enhancing capacity to effectively respond to global challenges, and further increasing Vietnam's participation in UN peacekeeping activities in the future.
Lam took the occasion to invite the UN Secretary-General to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time.
Meeting with President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly Philemon Yang, the Party and State leader affirmed that Vietnam will actively support his leadership, initiatives, and priorities for the current term. These include the promotion of peace and security through multilateral efforts, the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the enhancement of resilience of vulnerable and less developed countries, the sustainable management of natural resources, the promotion of gender equality, youth empowerment, the narrowing of digital gap, and better innovation and digital access.
Lam stated that Vietnam remains steadfast in its strong support for multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role in global governance and the UN General Assembly considered the most important body comprising all member states. Vietnam supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he said.
Vietnam is also ready to promote trilateral agricultural cooperation, which consists of sponsorships from development partners, Vietnam’s experts, techniques and crops, and other nations, including Cameroon.
Yang, who previously served as Prime Minister of Cameroon, lauded Vietnam’s relationship with both the UN and Cameroon, its impressive socio-economic achievements and its increasingly prominent role on the global stage. He agreed to collaborate with the Southeast Asian nation to promote the compliance with the UN Charter, international law, and multilateralism.
Recognising Vietnam’s strengths in science, technology, and agriculture, Yang pledged his commitment to fostering cooperation between Vietnam and Cameroon in these areas and to seriously consider and address issues raised by the Vietnamese side.
On this occasion, Lam extended an invitation to the UN General Assembly President to visit Vietnam in the near future.
At the meeting with Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Lam highly valued the UNDP's role and contributions to Vietnam’s national construction and socio-economic development cause over the past five decades.
In this important new phase of development, he proposed the UNDP focus on supporting Vietnam in terms of knowledge and resources, promoting the transfer of science and technology aimed at building a green economy and circular economy.
Appreciating Steiner's contributions during his time in Vietnam as a technical advisor on water resource security, the Vietnamese leader called on the UNDP to continue helping the country and the Mekong River Commission in the sustainable and effective management and use of water resources, thereby enhancing resilience and response to water security challenges in the basin.
The UNDP Administrator hailed Vietnam as a model in socio-economic development and in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, thus offering valuable practical experiences for the United Nations and the international community.
He affirmed that the UNDP is proud to be Vietnam's development partner in green growth, energy transition, and innovation, and is ready to support the country in building green, sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development policies, and in attracting investments, financial resources and green technology to enhance climate change adaptability and promote a just energy transition and digital transformation to strengthen Vietnam's self-development capabilities and avoid becoming a market for monopolistic groups.
Talking to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, the top Vietnamese leader highly valued the ongoing cooperation between the two sides, which produces positive results, especially the valuable support from UNICEF for Vietnam’s national expanded immunisation programme for children.
Regarding cooperation orientations in the future, Lam underlined the importance of ensuring resources to implement sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to children, especially in terms of education, health care, nutrition, and vaccination.
He called for UNICEF’s policy advice and support packages for Vietnam to ensure the best care, protection, and education for children in areas affected by Typhoon Yagi.
He also suggested the two sides carry out meaningful and practical activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-UNICEF cooperation, and the 35th anniversary of Vietnam’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 2025.
Russel praised Vietnam’s efforts in realising SDGs, especially in the areas of child protection, care, and education, especially climate education. She also commended Vietnam's preparedness for disaster prevention and relief, highlighting the country’s exemplary experiences and good practices that can be shared with other countries.
She said that UNICEF will continue to actively implement the Vietnam-UNICEF National Programme for the 2022-2026 period to best meet Vietnam's priorities, supporting efforts to address post-typhoon consequences, particularly to ensure that schools reopen as soon as possible.
UNICEF is willing to collaborate with Vietnam on the country’s initiative for the International Day of Play on June 11 each year, she said, and hopes that Vietnam will be a partner of UNICEF in promoting girls' access to science and technology./.
