Vietnam was busy at the recent 21 st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva during its bid to run for a seat at the Council for the 2014-2016 tenure.
During the two-week session, which began on September 10, the delegates heard reports from the special rapporteurs, working parties and independent experts in issues relating to children involved in armed conflicts.
They discussed the problems that affect indigenous peoples, mercenaries; the harmful effects of hazardous wastes; modern-day slavery; safe water supplies; poverty; combating racial discrimination; human rights and international solidarity; democracy and a just international order.
In addition, they discussed the human rights situation in Syria, Somali, Sudan and Cambodia and later approved reports from working parties regarding the Universal Periodic Reviews submitted by 14 countries.
In his speech at the session, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, head of Vietnam’s Delegation to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, praised the efforts being made to ensure human rights in the Philippines, Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia.
He stated that Vietnam always ceaselessly attempts to contribute more to international and regional organisations. Thanh also underlined that Vietnam looks forward to working and cooperating with every country and economy in the world and shares the same goals of peace, security, prosperity and human development.
The Vietnamese Government hopes to receive a higher level of support and cooperation to protect and promote human rights, added the ambassador.
At his September 25 talks with a special rapporteur on the situation in Cambodia, Thanh highlighted Vietnam’s policy of friendship, solidarity and cooperation with Cambodia, as well as Cambodia’s achievements in ensuring political stability and boosting economic development to create a peaceful, stable and developed country.-VNA
