UN leader lauds Vietnam’s commitments to climate change response

New York – Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc had a meeting on August 3 with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who highly valued Vietnam's active and responsible contributions to the common work of the organisation, especially the country’s strong commitments in the fight against climate change, and promised to continue supporting Vietnam in this work.

The UN leader said he is impressed by socio-economic achievements of Vietnam, especially the country’s post-pandemic recovery.

Ngoc, who is in New York for the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, affirmed that the UN is a reliable partner for the causes of peace, co-operation, and development, with the international body always accompanying Vietnam through its national development stages.

The Deputy Minister also reiterated the invitation by State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to the UN Secretary-General to visit Vietnam at the earliest opportunity.

Guterres affirmed that he will visit Vietnam this year.

Regarding regional and international issues of concern, the two sides agreed to continue enhancing multilateralism, uphold international law, and promote ASEAN-UN co-operation, as well as ASEAN's role in the regional security architecture. This includes maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, while peacefully settling disputes on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Minister Ngoc also held bilateral meetings with representatives from Caribbean and developing countries. In addition, he is scheduled to hold meetings with the Assistant Secretary-Generals and UN leaders in charge of political, security, and legal affairs.

The fires that have torched through Europe are on course to make 2022 a record year for forest loss on the continent, as scientists warn climate change is already contributing to ever fiercer blazes.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh on July 25 signed a decision approving the project on tasks and solutions to implement outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

Vietnam will soon decide on whether it will officially engage in the United States’ fresh economic cooperation framework which is hoped to help increase both economies’ investment and trade ties.

Vietnam’s fresh national climate change strategy, which highlights a crucial energy transition, will help the country reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fulfil its international commitment.