Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet chairs the press conference on April 15, 2024. Photo: tienphong.vn

At an international press conference held on Monday, in Hanoi, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet said that the UPR is one of the most important mechanisms of the Human Rights Council which is tasked with reviewing the human rights situation in all UN member states. It encourages countries to fully deliver on their human rights commitments on the principles of dialogue, cooperation, equality, objectivity and transparency, according to Viet. 

“Vietnam, with a consistent human rights policy, values the UPR mechanism, seriously crafts national reports, and implements recommendations that Vietnam accepts at all cycles. Vietnam's report provides an updated situation with evidence, specific information and figures, underlining Vietnam's efforts in ensuring human rights, especially in fine-tuning the legal system on human rights."

"It fulfills obligations under international human rights treaties to which Vietnam is a member, gains achievements in sustainable multidimensional poverty reduction, ensures social security, improves people's lives and protects the rights of vulnerable groups.”

The Deputy Foreign Minister said that as of January 2024, Vietnam effectively implemented 209 recommendations or 86.7% of all 241 recommendations it approved in the third cycle. Viet called it Vietnam’s great effort in a period of global turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, environmental degradation, food insecurity, and armed conflicts.

The Deputy Foreign Minister added that Vietnam's latest report was made seriously and comprehensively, with the full participation of relevant parties and UN agencies in Vietnam. Vietnam's participation in the UPR dialogue is even more meaningful as Vietnam is taking on the role of a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term.