Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (Photo: dangcongsan.vn)

The high-level meeting of the 55^th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council takes place amid profound changes around the world. Although peace, cooperation, and development are major trends, they have been challenged severely since the Cold War.

Ensuring human rights is top priority

The high-level meeting of the UN Security Council will be attended by 140 country leaders and senior officials of the United Nations and other international organizations. The meeting, the key activity of the 55th regular session of the UN Human Right Council, will have a dense, ambitious agenda.

The meeting will focus on urgent global issues, including post-COVID recovery, implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, and responses to non-traditional security challenges like climate change, food insecurity, water insecurity, inequality, the downsides of digital transformation, and ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups.

The 55th regular session of the Human Rights Council will have 7 thematic discussion sessions, review 80 reports, and discuss 40 UN special procedures and human rights mechanisms. High on the agenda will be the human rights situation in some specific countries and the appointment of 12 personnel for Special Procedures, including experts and special rapporteurs. 30 resolutions are expected to be adopted at this session.

Vietnam’s active, responsible participation

Implementing the foreign policy adopted at the 13th National Party Congress and Directive 25 of the Party Secretariat on promoting multilateral foreign relations until 2030, Vietnam continues to be an active, responsible member of the international community, contributing to building and shaping the common rules of the world community.

This is the second year that Vietnam has participated in high-level meetings as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. In 2023, Vietnam proposed several initiatives which were acknowledged by the international community, including the Resolution on "Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30th Anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action" and 5 other outstanding initiatives in all 3 regular meetings of the Human Rights Council. This is a solid foundation for Vietnam to continue to promote its role and position as an active and responsible member of the Council in the coming time.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said: "Vietnam’s initiative being adopted in the 52nd session – the first session of 2023 – was the result of coordinated efforts between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, overseas Vietnamese representative agencies, and relevant ministries and sectors. It demonstrates our proactive role and our responsibility and creates a position for Vietnam in cooperation with other countries. This is in line with Vietnam's motto, upheld at the Human Rights Council: "Respect and Understanding, Dialogue and Cooperation, All Human Rights for All People.”

In 2024, Vietnam will implement a number of cooperative initiatives to promote and ensure human rights, including crafting a draft resolution on climate change and human rights at the June session and defending the National Report under the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism Cycle IV in May. Vietnam will continue to participate in the Council’s activities and contribute to resolutions on the situation in specific countries.

Vietnam’s attendance at the High-Level Meeting of the 55th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council and other activities throughout this year will be an opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its position as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023 – 2025 term.