Vietnam’s election as a member of the United Nations Human RightsCouncil (UNHRC) for the first time shows that the country has won highconfidence from UN member states, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hassaid.
On November 12, Vietnam was elected tobecome one of the 14 new council members for the 2014-2016 tenure. Itreceived 184 votes out of a total of 192, the highest number of votesamong the candidates.
In an interview granted to theVietnam News Agency, FM Minh said that running for a seat in the UNHRCwas an important step for Vietnam in its road to achieving theforeign policy goal of being a friend, a reliable partner and aresponsible member of the international community as well as promotingactive international integration.
“Thisdetermination reflects the Vietnamese Party and State’s view of humanrights as a common aspiration of human beings as well as theirconsistent policy of respecting and ensuring human rights, and enhancinginternational cooperation in this field,” he noted.
According to Minh , Vietnam ’s election to the UNHRC with thehighest vote is of great significance. It shows the internationalcommunity’s acknowledgement and appreciation of Vietnam ’s policiesand achievements in its comprehensive renewal process, including thebuilding of a state of law that offers a better guarantee of citizens’rights.
Over past years, it can be said that everyachievement of the country has targeted people, he said, adding thatdespite difficulties in economic development, Vietnam has stillmaintained the active implementation of the UN’s Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs), bringing practical benefits to its people.
In the ongoing amendment of the Constitution, a crucial politicalevent, the issue of human rights has been paid special attention,representing the Constitution’s basic function in recognising, ensuringand protecting human rights and citizens’ rights, the minister said.
He stressed that Vietnam ’s election to the councilis a triumph for the Party and State’s foreign relations work,reflecting the increasing position and prestige of the nation in theinternational arena.
This success is a continuationof the country’s successes in the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and theAsia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and comes ahead of the country’s hostingof the 132 nd Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly in 2015 andthe APEC Summit in 2017, he added.
In the spirit ofstepping up intensive and comprehensive international integration in thenext three years, Vietnam, as a UNHRC member, will make proactivecontributions to the common affairs of the council and follow theconsistent policy of the Party and State on human rights and majororientations in foreign policy, while performing the tasks andcommitments required of a member of the UNHRC and the UN.
As a member, Vietnam will have conditions to highlight its stance,policies and law as well as share its successes and experience inensuring human rights, especially in building a state of law, enhancingthe role of the National Assembly and promoting judicial reform.
“We will let the world know the reality of respecting and guaranteeinghuman rights in political, economic, social, cultural and civil issuesin Vietnam, positive results on poverty reduction, efforts to ensurefood security and social welfare, and the good implementation of MDGs,thus refuting wrong information about the human rights and politicalsituation in the country,” he said, adding that Vietnam will alsobenefit from more opportunities to learn from international experience.
Vietnam will work closely with other membercountries to increase contributions in a constructive and responsiblespirit to human right issues of international concern as well asactively promote international dialogue and cooperation in order toimprove the operational efficiency of the UNHRC and the UN’s othermechanisms on human rights.
In addition toexperience sharing, the participation in the council’s affairs offers agood chance for Vietnam to improve the capacity of its staff and beready to engage more deeply in important multilateral mechanisms in thecontext of strengthened international integration.-VNA
On November 12, Vietnam was elected tobecome one of the 14 new council members for the 2014-2016 tenure. Itreceived 184 votes out of a total of 192, the highest number of votesamong the candidates.
In an interview granted to theVietnam News Agency, FM Minh said that running for a seat in the UNHRCwas an important step for Vietnam in its road to achieving theforeign policy goal of being a friend, a reliable partner and aresponsible member of the international community as well as promotingactive international integration.
“Thisdetermination reflects the Vietnamese Party and State’s view of humanrights as a common aspiration of human beings as well as theirconsistent policy of respecting and ensuring human rights, and enhancinginternational cooperation in this field,” he noted.
According to Minh , Vietnam ’s election to the UNHRC with thehighest vote is of great significance. It shows the internationalcommunity’s acknowledgement and appreciation of Vietnam ’s policiesand achievements in its comprehensive renewal process, including thebuilding of a state of law that offers a better guarantee of citizens’rights.
Over past years, it can be said that everyachievement of the country has targeted people, he said, adding thatdespite difficulties in economic development, Vietnam has stillmaintained the active implementation of the UN’s Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs), bringing practical benefits to its people.
In the ongoing amendment of the Constitution, a crucial politicalevent, the issue of human rights has been paid special attention,representing the Constitution’s basic function in recognising, ensuringand protecting human rights and citizens’ rights, the minister said.
He stressed that Vietnam ’s election to the councilis a triumph for the Party and State’s foreign relations work,reflecting the increasing position and prestige of the nation in theinternational arena.
This success is a continuationof the country’s successes in the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and theAsia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and comes ahead of the country’s hostingof the 132 nd Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly in 2015 andthe APEC Summit in 2017, he added.
In the spirit ofstepping up intensive and comprehensive international integration in thenext three years, Vietnam, as a UNHRC member, will make proactivecontributions to the common affairs of the council and follow theconsistent policy of the Party and State on human rights and majororientations in foreign policy, while performing the tasks andcommitments required of a member of the UNHRC and the UN.
As a member, Vietnam will have conditions to highlight its stance,policies and law as well as share its successes and experience inensuring human rights, especially in building a state of law, enhancingthe role of the National Assembly and promoting judicial reform.
“We will let the world know the reality of respecting and guaranteeinghuman rights in political, economic, social, cultural and civil issuesin Vietnam, positive results on poverty reduction, efforts to ensurefood security and social welfare, and the good implementation of MDGs,thus refuting wrong information about the human rights and politicalsituation in the country,” he said, adding that Vietnam will alsobenefit from more opportunities to learn from international experience.
Vietnam will work closely with other membercountries to increase contributions in a constructive and responsiblespirit to human right issues of international concern as well asactively promote international dialogue and cooperation in order toimprove the operational efficiency of the UNHRC and the UN’s othermechanisms on human rights.
In addition toexperience sharing, the participation in the council’s affairs offers agood chance for Vietnam to improve the capacity of its staff and beready to engage more deeply in important multilateral mechanisms in thecontext of strengthened international integration.-VNA
