Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN in Geneva, and the Vietnamese delegation. Photo: Anh Hien/VNA

Delivering a speech at the discussion on the supervision and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action held in the framework of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s 55th session in Geneva, Dung stressed that the parties must avoid attacking, destroying, removing, or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population as well as respect, protect, and create favorable conditions for humanitarian assistance forces and supplies.

According to the Vietnamese Ambassador, the international community needs to make concerted efforts to protect essential infrastructure of the civilians, and countries and competent sides, particularly international organizations, should enhance cooperation and focus on promoting sustainable development in areas where residents are affected by wars.

He affirmed that the enjoyment of human rights is facing formidable challenges, with the right to life threatened by armed violence and explosive remnants of war and the access to economic, social and cultural rights in choppy waters due to demolition of the essential civilian infrastructure.