The results of the UN Human Rights Council election affirm Vietnam's increasingly high international role, position and prestige.

On October 14, New York time (midnight October 14, Hanoi time), at the United Nations (UN) headquarters, the 80th UN General Assembly elected members of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term, in which Vietnam was re-elected to this position with 180 votes, the highest among candidates representing the Asia-Pacific region.

On this occasion, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang granted an interview to VNA reporters in New York.

The Vietnamese delegation after listening to the President of the UN General Assembly announce the voting results. Photo: Thanh Tuan/VNA correspondent in the US

The 80th UN General Assembly has voted for Vietnam to be re-elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council. Could you please tell us the significance of this event?

The recent UN General Assembly meeting re-elected Vietnam as a member of the UN Human Rights Council (HURC) for the 2026-2028 term with a very high number of votes. This is an extremely important result, affirming Vietnam's increasingly high role, position and international prestige. Firstly, the fact that Vietnam achieved the highest number of votes among the Asia- Pacific countries elected for the 2026-2028 term continues to demonstrate the international community's recognition and appreciation of our country's socio-economic development achievements in recent times, especially the commitments, efforts and achievements in promoting and protecting human rights, ensuring social security, improving the material and spiritual life of the people. The high trust in Vietnam also once again affirms the accompaniment, support and high appreciation of the UN and the international community for the consistent foreign policy of our Party and State, as well as the results of our bilateral and multilateral foreign policy implementation in recent times.

Second, the fact that countries elected Vietnam to continue as a member of the UN Human Rights Council right when we are about to complete the 2023-2025 term demonstrates the countries' high confidence in Vietnam's approach to dialogue, cooperation and balance in the past term, and at the same time affirms their expectations and trust in Vietnam's role and contributions in promoting cooperation on ensuring human rights in the context of extremely complicated developments in the world situation.

Third, this result was achieved thanks to the attention and close direction of the Party, State and Government leaders, the efforts of diplomatic exchanges and mobilization, combined with information and propaganda work deployed synchronously at all levels. This includes the "frontline" role of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, especially our Delegations in New York and Geneva, with the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministries, Committees and branches that are members of inter-sectoral mechanisms on human rights and news agencies and newspapers.

It can be affirmed that Vietnam's success in this election to the UN Human Rights Council, together with the upcoming hosting of the signing ceremony of the UN Convention on Cybercrime on October 25-26, are urgent, effective and practical steps to implement Resolution 59 of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation, affirming Vietnam's new stance, from an active and responsible partner of the international community, to a more responsible contribution in building and shaping common issues of the world.
Given the significance of this event, could you please tell us what key agendas Vietnam will promote in its capacity as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term?

During the 2023-2025 term, Vietnam has identified its participation motto as “Respect and understanding. Dialogue and cooperation. All human rights, for all”, and identified eight priority areas: Strengthening the effectiveness of the Human Rights Council; Protecting human rights in the context of climate change; Combating violence and discrimination, protecting vulnerable groups; Promoting gender equality; Protecting human rights in the digital age; Promoting the right to health; The right to work; The right to education and human rights education. These are long-term mottos and priorities, linked to the international community’s concerns about human rights, as well as Vietnam’s concerns and need for cooperation in this field. Therefore, we will continue these mottos and priorities when assuming the position of a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term and beyond.

At the same time, in the process of promoting initiatives and strengthening cooperation with countries at the Human Rights Council in the coming time, we will pay more attention to priorities related to the common concerns of the international community in the face of current urgent global challenges as well as the areas we have identified that need to create breakthroughs to bring the country into a new era of development, including priorities in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, education and health.

As Resolution 59 has determined, international integration is the cause of all people and the entire political system, and it is necessary to take people and businesses as the center, the subject, the driving force, the main force and the main beneficiaries of the benefits of international integration. In that spirit, assuming membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term will also require full, widespread and more effective participation and contribution from ministries, branches, agencies in the political system, unions and people's organizations in appropriate forms.

I believe that with the broad support of the international community expressed through votes, with the participation and effective contribution of the entire political system, Vietnam's upcoming term as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term will be a great success, contributing to the successful implementation of the Party's foreign policy as well as the correct and important policies of the Party and State on protecting and promoting human rights.

Thank you very much, Deputy Minister!
 

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-tri/ket-qua-bau-hoi-dong-nhan-quyen-lhq-khang-dinh-vai-tro-vi-the-va-uy-tin-quoc-te-ngay-cang-cao-cua-viet-nam-20251015060551298.htm