United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres affirmed his support for the main breakthroughs in Vietnam’s development policy, highly valued its role in the international arena, and stressed that its voice is being respected by other countries as it is one of development.

The UN head was speaking at his separate meetings with Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on Saturday, the last day of his two-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

PM Chinh highly appreciated Guterres’s visit as it took place at a very meaningful time that marked the 45th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to the UN.

He said Vietnam wishes to continue receiving the UN’s support in three strategic breakthroughs in its development policy, including perfecting its institution, developing human resources quality, and building modern economic and social infrastructure, which will help realize the goal of turning it into an industrial and high-income country by 2045, according to Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper.

Vietnam advocates a multilateral approach and international solidarity, with the UN as the center, in dealing with current global problems, and the Southeast Asian country persistently pursues an independent and self-reliant foreign policy, for the sake of peace, cooperation, and development in the world, the PM said.

The Vietnamese government leader also affirmed that Vietnam will continue being a reliable and responsible partner of the UN.

Guterres said he was impressed with Vietnam’s persistence in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and with its post-pandemic economic achievements, especially its effective adaptation to and control of the health crisis, maintenance of macroeconomic stability, and socio-economic recovery and development, Lao Dong cited the secretary-general as saying.

Highly valuing Vietnam’s role and voice in the international arena, Guterres asserted that the UN and he himself fully support the three said breakthroughs in Vietnam's development policy, and wished both sides to boost cooperation in various fields, including food and energy security, climate change, human rights, and digital technology, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

He also hailed the Southeast Asian country as one of the pioneering countries in combating social inequality, responding to climate change, and especially ensuring and promoting human rights.

The host and guest agreed to step up cooperation between ASEAN and the UN, and support efforts to maintain peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Vietnam Sea.

They advocated peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

During his talks with National Assembly Chairman Hue on the same day, Guterres appreciated the socio-economic achievements that Vietnam has gained in the past years.

He expressed his belief that Vietnam will certainly get better gains on its development path, and that Vietnam can be completely proud of its voice being respected by all countries, as that is one of development.

Vietnam has set a special example in the government making efforts to bring benefits to people, Dai Bieu Nhan Dan (People’s Representative) newspaper cited Guterres as saying.  

He considered Vietnam one of the dynamic and active members of the UN, and appreciated that the country’s dedication to the UN has helped bridge the gap between rich and poor nations, Guterres commented.

He told Hue that the UN is willing to assist Vietnam in energy transition, digital transformation and cyber security, as well as in realizing its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, as these issues are also of the UN’s concerns.

The National Assembly chairman thanked the UN for providing Vietnam, via the COVAX Facility, with 61.7 million vaccine doses, along with medical equipment, which have greatly aided the country’s economic recovery and development after putting the pandemic at bay, Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper reported.

The UN is an important and leading partner of Vietnam, providing the country with practical support from its difficult early period after the war ended in 1975 to its socio-economic development and international integration over the past decades, Hue said.

After the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development was adopted, the Vietnamese National Assembly is one of the first law-making bodies in the world to institutionalize all the UN’s policy frameworks of sustainable development into the country’s legal system, as well as in its 5-year and 10-year development plans, the Vietnam News Agency cited the chairman as saying.

He suggested the UN continue strengthening connections between the Vietnamese legislature and UN activities.

During the first day of his stay in Hanoi, Guterres had separate talks with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, focusing on steps to promote bilateral ties.

Guterres also visited the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and joined President Phuc in co-chairing the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to the UN.  

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