Promote the role of an active and responsible member of the Human Rights Council, promoting universal values of human rights

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

On the occasion of Vietnam's re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang gave an interview to the press about the significance of this event for Vietnam's foreign affairs and international position. Nhan Dan Newspaper respectfully introduces the content of the interview.

Reporter: Vietnam has just been re-elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term with the highest number of votes in the Asia- Pacific Group. Could you please share the significance of this event for Vietnam's foreign affairs and international position?

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang: This is an extremely joyful and proud result. This is the highest recognition of the international community for the correct policies and guidelines of the Party and State, as well as the historical achievements of our country during the 80 years since gaining independence and 40 years of carrying out the renovation process, especially in ensuring human rights.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang. (Photo: BAO LONG)

These are our tireless efforts to gain independence, freedom, and national unity, to maintain a peaceful, stable, secure, and safe environment, in which people are always at the center of all policies and guidelines, both the driving force and the goal of development. This is the determination to ensure that no one is left behind, to fully enjoy the country's achievements in sustainable development, education, health care, digital transformation, green transformation, etc.

This is also a recognition and appreciation from the international community for Vietnam's efforts to contribute to the common work of the United Nations, including a very important pillar of ensuring human rights. We have participated in many important UN agencies on peace, security, economy, society and are about to assume the role of a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the third time.

In the process of participating in the mechanisms of the United Nations, Vietnam has always affirmed its consistent approach that the obligation to protect human rights is first and foremost the responsibility of each country, while at the same time promoting exchanges and mutual understanding, enhancing the sharing of common values, promoting universal values of human rights, ensuring that every person and every nation enjoys the most basic rights, and lives in a peaceful, stable, secure, safe, green, clean, civilized, prosperous and developed world.

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

Reporter: Could you please share the reasons and factors that contributed to Vietnam's success in the recent election?

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang: The most fundamental reason for our achievements is the country's achievements after 80 years of independence and 40 years of innovation. Never before has Vietnam had the position, foundation, and potential it has today. Never before have the Vietnamese people enjoyed such complete and comprehensive rights as they do today, including the right to live in a peaceful, stable, independent, autonomous country, where intellectual qualities can be fully developed, where people are always placed at the center of development, enjoying the most basic values of their rights, from civil and political rights to economic, social, cultural rights, health, education, travel, and access to human civilization and intelligence.

The second reason is the correct foreign policy of the Party and State that has created a comprehensive and favorable foreign situation. Up to now, Vietnam has diplomatic relations with all member countries of the United Nations, has a wide network of strategic partners and comprehensive partners.

Thanks to that, we have gained the trust and high support of all countries in participating in the common work of the United Nations. Besides, we must also mention the close coordination of departments, ministries and branches in the advocacy work and the number of 180 countries supporting Vietnam to join the Human Rights Council says it all.

Reporter: Many forecasts say that in the coming time, there will be many challenges to human rights in the world. In that context, could you tell us how Vietnam will promote its role as a member of the Human Rights Council?

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang: Ensuring human rights is the responsibility of every country towards its people and citizens. For Vietnam, first of all, it is necessary to make efforts to effectively implement the Party and State's guidelines and policies on human rights, economic, social, cultural, educational, health care, and digital transformation development, ensuring that people can enjoy the achievements of a rich and prosperous era. Through that, we can spread our efforts to protect and promote human rights to the international community.

In the context of multilateralism, the role of the United Nations and the Human Rights Council is facing many challenges due to division and conflicts between countries, values and cultures, and Vietnam's responsibility is even greater.

We need to continue to promote our role as an active and responsible member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, so that countries can join hands to share common values, understand and respect each other, and unite to promote universal values of human rights so that people around the world can live in a world of peace, stability, security, safety, and respond promptly to global challenges.

To do this, we hope for close coordination between relevant ministries and branches and the sharing, support and coordination of the people so that Vietnam can shoulder its extremely noble, important and meaningful international obligations and responsibilities at the Human Rights Council.

Reporter: Thank you very much, Deputy Minister!

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-huy-vai-tro-thanh-vien-tich-cuc-co-reach-nhiem-cua-hoi-dong-nhan-quyen-thuc-day-gia-tri-pho-quat-ve-quyen-con-nguoi-post915651.html