Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA)

The session consisted of 51 meetings held in both face-to-face and online formats. Apart from high-level meetings, there were a number of dialogues and panel discussions about human rights issues.

During the 46th session, the UNHRC discussed and approved the universal periodic review reports of 14 countries and about 30 resolutions, including one resolution on ensuring equitable, affordable, timely, and universal access for all countries to vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the session.

Addressing the high-level segment that began the session on February 22, he highlighted the country’s policies, efforts and achievements in protecting and promoting human rights amid the pandemic, noting that Vietnam has concurrently managed to contain the outbreak, care for people’s health, sustain economic growth, and guarantee social security.

Minh also briefed participants about Vietnam’s contributions to the world’s concerted efforts in response to the pandemic such as providing face masks and medical supplies for more than 50 countries and international partners. It also proposed the date December 27 be designated as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, which won over the UN General Assembly’s unanimous approval.
Particularly, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterM also informed about Vietnam’s bid to run for a seat in the UNHRC for the 2023 – 2025 tenure in its capacity as a candidate of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a wish to pay more effective contributions to the world’s common efforts in human rights promotion and protection.