2020 saw great turmoil in the region and the world – the COVID-19 pandemic, strategic competition between countries, a global economic recession, and many traditional and non-traditional security threats.

In 2020, as the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Vietnam has obtained important achievements and laid a foundation for future cooperation.

Overcoming difficulties

As the ASEAN Chair, Vietnam has steered ASEAN to obtain high priority cooperation goals. The building of an ASEAN Community has gained concrete results. ASEAN’s macro-economic foundations have been maintained while economic connectivity has been expanded, particularly the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between ASEAN and its partners to open the world’s biggest free trade area. Social welfare cooperation and external relations have been carried out effectively.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu said: “We quickly adopted social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All scheduled conferences were held and cooperative channels were activated. We proposed feasible ideas to harmonize concerns and interests of member countries. Many of Vietnam’s innovative ideas have been adopted as ASEAN Initiatives.”

ASEAN’s 2020 theme “Cohesive and Responsive” turned out to be an appropriate one for a year of pandemic. Vietnam proposed the establishment of a COVID-19 Response Fund, a Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies, and safe travel criteria. Over 80 documents approved in 2020 addressed key regional security and development issues.

As a non-permanent member of the UNSC, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh chaired an open debate on upholding the UN Charter to mark the 75^th anniversary of the Charter. For the first time, the UN issued a Statement on Upholding the UN Charter.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu said: “We have successfully carried out our tasks in 2020. Vietnam has launched initiatives to raise high the UN Charter and effect peaceful solutions to security issues. The UN Secretary General’s compliment that Vietnam is a strong partner makes us not only proud but determined to take on more responsibility to meet the world’s future expectations.”

Rise and shine

As the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UNSC, Vietnam has promoted the role of the UNSC in ASEAN activities. In the month Vietnam chaired the Council, it proposed that the ASEAN Secretary General be invited to a UNSC meeting to talk about ASEAN’s role in maintaining security. 

Vietnam also proposed ideas for balancing global issues, including Iran’s nuclear future, the Korean peninsula, Israel-Palestine relations, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and changing dynamics in the Middle East. Vietnam has received support from UN members for ASEAN’s peace and security agenda.

Vietnam was invited to major global events like the G20 Summit and the G7 Summit because it held important positions this year and because of its rising status.

In a tough year, Vietnam has made impressive achievements in multilateral diplomacy and these achievements have created new momentum for Vietnam’s global integration.