At the outset. I would like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session. I am confident that, with his wealth of experience and excellent capability, he will help to ensure the success of this session. I also wish to voice my appreciation for the significant contributions of His Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi. President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session, and His Excellency Antonio Guterres. Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Having endured great suffering, sacrifices and losses from wars, separation and the embargo of the past century. Viet Nam fully understands better than anyone, and profoundly appreciates, the value of peace, cooperation and development. With perseverance and tireless efforts in the spirit of putting the past behind, overcoming differences, harnessing similarities and striving towards the future to turn enemies into friends and confrontation into dialogue, and by contending and cooperating to turn adversaries into partners. Viet Nam is recognized by international friends as a model for post-war cooperation, recovery and reconciliation for the common development and prosperity of all parties concerned.
It would therefore be remiss not to mention the three most important and decisive factors in international cooperation — trust, sincerity and solidarity. Trust helps to erase animosity and bridge differences, and it is a prerequisite for solid, effective and substantive ties. Sincerity brings sympathy and reinforces at the national level hope, trust and solidarity, which make up the strength of a State, a nation and all its people. Solidarity enhances multilateralism at the international level and creates global strength.
That is also the spirit that we wish to underscore and promote at this year’s session. Only by building upon trust, sincerity and solidarity around the world, strengthening of the role of the United Nations and mobilizing the active participation of all States can we together address difficulties, overcome challenges and promote peace, cooperation and prosperity globally, regionally and nationally and bring about happiness and well-being for all people.
Over the past years, we have been facing tremendous hurdles. While peace and stability prevail at the macro level, hostilities, conflicts and tensions remain at the micro level. In addition. I would say that arms races and the increasing threats from weapons of mass destruction loom large. The consequences of the coronavirus disease continue to persist, while the global economy records a slow and unequal recovery, with high inflation and growing risk. At the same time, non-traditional security challenges, natural disasters, climate change, environmental issues, food, energy, water and cybersecurity are evolving in a complex and unpredictable manner.
Moreover, the world today faces four critical crises. First, there is a crisis of trust amid the most intense geopolitical tensions since the Cold War. Secondly, there is a crisis of multilateral cooperation due to fragmentation and division. Thirdly, there is a crisis of legal principles, reflected through the undermining of international law and the Charter of the United Nations in certain corners. Fourthly, there is a crisis of resources to respond to global issues, such as poverty eradication, education, health, humanitarian assistance, diseases, natural disasters and climate change. Against that backdrop, the critical question is: as leaders of the
world, what do we need to do to help our respective nations and the world as a whole to overcome the current obstacles?
In my view, the answer is that we need to jointly build trust, showcase sincerity, bolster solidarity, enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation, effectively respond to global and whole-of-population challenges and promote sustainable development, with the people as the centre, the actor, the goal, the driver and the resource for growth. I am of the view that global challenges require global solutions. In addition, as the issues affect each and every person, we should adopt a whole-of-population. comprehensive and holistic approach. In that spirit. I would like to outline the following five clusters of solutions.
First, it is necessary to build upon sincerity, reinforce strategic trust and call on countries to uphold responsibility as the basis for our efforts. Sincerity and trust should be fostered and bolstered through candid dialogue on the basis of mutual respect, shared interests and joint efforts to address differences, as well as the prevention and containment of conflicts. Responsibility is showcased by complying with international commitments, international law and United Nations Charter. It is also reflected in refraining from the use of force, power politics, unilateralism and divisive and fragmenting actions. In that regard, major Powers play a crucial and pioneering role in building trust, promoting sincerity and upholding responsibility through stronger commitments and more comprehensive support for global development.
Secondly, a global solution is to enhance international solidarity and cooperation. Each country should place their interests in the broader picture of the international community’s interests and join hands to protect and promote multilateralism and enhance the central role of the United Nations. That can be achieved through new and more robust multilateral initiatives and actions in the interests of all countries and peoples. It is also necessary to support the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) stimulus via vigorous, concrete, practical and effective commitments and actions. Let us pursue unity instead of division, dialogue instead of confrontation and cooperation instead of isolation and divergence. Once again. Viet Nam affirms its solidarity with other countries, including Cuba, and urges the United States to put an end to its embargo against Cuba.
Thirdly, a whole-of-population solution is to promote policies that identify the people as the centre, the goal, the actor, the driver and the resource for sustainable development, while ensuring that no one is left behind. Development can be truly meaningful only when it brings about practical benefits for each and every person, particularly in prioritized areas such as investment in promoting education, creating jobs and ensuring that the people are the centre of the policy- making process. We must enhance and strengthen investment in education, creating employment, ensuring social security, providing health care, improving resilience and adaptation and preventing natural disasters and diseases.
Fourthly, it is essential to implement holistic political, economic and social measures to ensure security and stability. We need to develop and transition into a green, digital, circular, sharing and smart economy, promote innovations and start-ups. reduce trade and investment barriers, facilitate market access and conclude more free trade agreements. Viet Nam supports the reform of international institutions. We need to expedite such reforms, particularly financial and monetary reforms, towards greater equity and equality for developing countries and less developed countries and improve their capacity to effectively manage risk.
Fifthly, we need to mobilize and effectively utilize resources, in which self-reliance, resilience and the effective harnessing of our potentials and advantages are important factors underlying the success, prosperity and strength of each nation and region and the world at large.
Developing countries, particularly least developed countries, are currently the most vulnerable to the severe consequences of climate change, natural disasters and diseases. They should receive substantive and effective assistance in terms of finance, technology, human resources, development and governance coordination.
Viet Nam supports the Summit of the Future process to bring about important changes through a new mindset, a new modus operand! and new actions, with a view to helping multilateral institutions operate in a more synchronized and effective manner and better respond to the needs and interests of all countries and peoples.
President Ho Chi Minh, the beloved great leader of Viet Nam’s people, a national liberation hero and a great man of culture, once said.
“A country is rooted in its people; only when the root holds strong can the tree stand firm. We shall build the fort of victory on the foundation of our people’s efforts”
and
“Solidarity, solidarity, great solidarity; success, success and great success”.
By building upon that philosophy. Viet Nam has recorded important and historic achievements after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi renovation across the board, particularly in terms of socioeconomic development and the improvement of the people’s living standards. The multidimensional poverty rate in Viet Nam has dropped to below 2 per cent.
Viet Nam steadfastly pursues a consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and the diversification of external relations. We remain a friend, a reliable partner and an active, responsible member of the international community for the peace, cooperation, development and prosperity of all countries worldwide.
Viet Nam will continue to be a reliable and responsible partner of the international community. Vietnamese men and women from the People’s Army of Viet Nam and police forces have been participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions, conveying a strong message of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.
We are also expediting energy transition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In addition. Viet Nam maintains food security for a population of 100 million people, while striving to export approximately 7 million tons of rice this year, contributing to ensuring global food security. On this occasion. Viet Nam would like to announce its national commitment towards the SDG transition.
From a region plagued by war and division. South-East Asia has emerged as a region of solidarity, friendship and cooperation and an epicentre of growth. Moreover, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) matters, and ASEAN has affirmed its centrality in maintaining peace, security and prosperity in the region.
We wish to reaffirm our commitment to working with other countries within and outside the region to safeguard peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is also necessary to exercise restraint, refrain from unilateral actions and address disputes and differences by peaceful means, including diplomatic and legal processes.
The late Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold once referred to the United Nations as the new Santa Maria that can help us to brave tempestuous storms and explore uncharted seas of peace, stability, cooperation and development. Let us be responsible sailors, stand united, uphold trust and act in unison to steady our helm and take the United Nations vessel to new horizons of greater and more inclusive prosperity.