Deputy PM, FM Minh's article on occasion of VN's assumption of UNSC Presidency

Viet Nam assumes Presidency of the United Nations Security Council in January, 2020 
“Golden opportunity” for promoting the country’s position with the foreign policy of independence and sel-reliance

Since January 1, 2020, Viet Nam officially assumed the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the tenure 2020-2021 and the monthly UNSC President as well. In pursuance of the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and active and proactive international integration, and acceleration and improvement of multilateral diplomacy, this offers a golden opportunity for us to make constructive and responsible contribution to the common work of the international community, heighten the country’s global position and deepen our relations with other countries and major partners.

New responsibility amid challenging context

Viet Nam undertakes the new role in the context of profound changes in the region and the world. While many prolonged conflicts are not resolved fundamentally, tensions tend to escalate in the Middle East and potential hotspots are likely to worsen in several regions, including Asia-Pacific. Unilateral actions, violence, nonobservation of international law, use and threat of using force, encroachment of territory and sovereignty, interference in internal affairs etc., also have threatened global peace and security. Although peace, cooperation and development remain the mainstream, multilateral and global multilateral mechanisms are facing difficulties. Strategic frictions among major powers have increased, leading to complicated corollaries, especially in politics and security, which have been directly reflected at the UNSC, thus reducing the its efficiency and causing stalemate in some issues.

Against that backdrop, we will consistently pursue the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification of [international relations], strive to foster dialogues, reduce tensions and confrontation, seek fair and proper solutions to the issues that threaten regional and global peace and security; promote observation of international law and the United Nations Charter, especially the fundamental principles on territorial equality among countries, respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and socio-political systems, non-interference in internal affairs [of states], peaceful settlement of disputes, non-use of force. Viet Nam will uphold the spirit of “partnership for sustainable peace” with a focus on conflict prevention, peace building, post-conflict resolution, foring multilateralism and multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations and regional organizations.

UNSC Presidency: Great responsibility at the world’s top peace and security organ

The UNSC is empowered by the United Nations Charter to take prime responsibility of maintaining international peace and security and it is also the only organ of the United Nations that shall make decisions that are binding on 193 member countries. Over the past 75 years, despite certain shortcomings in terms of efficiency, democracy, transparency in its operation, the UNSC has made significant contributions to prevent the human kind from suffering a new world war, thus producing increasingly impacts in both width and depth on international politics and security, proving to be an important institution for all countries, including major powers.

Non-permanent members attach importance to the Presidency of the Council as it is an opportunity for them not only to show their leadership capacity but also boost their priorities and create hallmarks and make substantial contribution to the UNSC operations but it is a challenging job amid current complicated political-security landscape.

Striving to foster common interests of international community, creating Viet Nam’s hallmarks right from the first month

For Viet Nam, being the UNSC President in the first month as non-permanent member helps lay foundation and create favorable conditions for Viet Nam’s engagement throughout the membership tenure.

As the UNSC President, we will make all-out efforts to undertake the Presidency role, accelerate the search for solutions to the issues of the UNSC agenda in accordance with the legitimate concerns and interests of the relevant parties, creating foundation for strengthening cooperation with other countries. Viet Nam will play an active, proactive and responsible role in leading the UNSC work in a principled, unbiased and transparent manner with respect for the United Nations Charter and the Council’s procedures and effective utilization of the advices from the Council’s Secretariat Branch, at the same time, at the same time striving to reconcile differences of parties to build consensus.

Viet Nam will also endeavor to supply information, conduct broad consultations with other member countries of the United Nations, especially Asian and ASEAN countries while focusing on relations with press in order to increase democracy and transparency of the UNSC activities, and continue our recognized practical contributions to reform the UNSC working method during its UNSC membership in the 2008-2009 tenure.

From that perspective, over the past months, we have actively reviewed and consulted with the United Nations Secretariat in developing January tentative working agenda of the UNSC in a proper and balanced manner, including all periodical issues as well as Viet Nam’s priorities, which were supported and approved by the UNSC members on the very first working day of Viet Nam at the UNSC. Accordingly, Viet Nam will chair more than 30 meetings to discuss and decide on the operations of missions in such countries like Cyprus, Yemen, Libya etc., situation in the Middle East, Syria, Colombia, Central Africa Republic, etc., and periodical working session between the UNSC and the United Nations Secretary General among others.

Noticeably, as the UNSC President, Viet Nam will organize two major events with aim to forge observation of the United Nations Charter and cooperation between the United Nations/UNSC and ASEAN.

With the foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, the country’s new position, international support, experience in hosting regional and global multilateral mechanisms, thorough preparations, and close and effective coordination between ministries and agencies at home and abroad, we strongly believe that Viet Nam will successfully fulfill its UNSC Presidency in January, creating momentum for the country’s successful UNSC non-permanent membership. We are determined to successfully undertake this noble responsibility which is also a great challenge in order to make practical contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security and a peaceful and stable environment for national development, and to the deployment of the Directive of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee on promoting and enhancing multilateral diplomacy through 2030, contributing to successfully realization of the foreign policy of the 12^th National Party Congress, towards the 13^th National Party Congress./.