Affirming expectations and trust in Vietnam's role and contributions in promoting cooperation on human rights

Many UN member countries came to share joy with Vietnam's high voting results. (Photo: VNA)

Many UN member countries came to share joy with Vietnam's high voting results. (Photo: VNA)

This was shared by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang in an interview with the press after Vietnam was re-elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term. Nhan Dan Newspaper respectfully introduces the content of the interview.

Reporter: Could you please share the significance of Vietnam being elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term?

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang: The recent United Nations General Assembly meeting re-elected Vietnam as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council 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 its commitments, efforts and achievements in promoting and protecting human rights, ensuring social security, and 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 United Nations 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.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Second, the fact that countries elected Vietnam to continue as a member of the 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 Vietnam's 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, member ministries, branches of inter-sectoral mechanisms on human rights and press and media agencies.

It can be affirmed that Vietnam's success in the election to the United Nations Human Rights Council today, along with the upcoming hosting of the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against 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 mindset, from an active and responsible partner of the international community, to a more responsible contribution in building and shaping common issues of the world.

The Vietnamese delegation after listening to the President of the United Nations General Assembly announce the voting results. (Photo: VNA)

Reporter: Given the significance of this event, how will Vietnam continue to assume its role as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term?

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang: During the 2023-2025 term, Vietnam has identified the motto of participation as “Respect and understanding. Dialogue and cooperation. All human rights, for all”, and identified 8 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.

>>> See more: In-depth knowledge of Human Rights in Vietnam

These are long-term principles and priorities, linked to the international community’s concerns about human rights, as well as Vietnam’s concerns and need for cooperation in this area. Therefore, we will continue these principles 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.

Overview of the plenary session to elect members of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term. (Photo: VNA)

As Resolution 59 has determined, international integration is the cause of all people and the entire political system. 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 Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term will also require fuller, broader, and more effective participation and contributions 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 term as a member of the United Nations 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.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khang-dinh-ky-vong-su-tin-tuong-vai-tro-va-dong-gop-cua-viet-nam-trong-thuc-day-hop-tac-ve-quyen-con-nguoi-post915421.html