The UN headquarters in New York

After the members of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2014-2016 term were announced, representatives of many countries at the UN congratulated Vietnam on its convincing victory.

The overwhelmingly favourable vote signifies the international community’s recognition and high appreciation of Vietnam’s policies and efforts to promote and protect human rights.

With their votes, the international community has placed trust in Vietnam for the upcoming term of the UNHRC. Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN said that after the election results were announced, many friends came to him to congratulate the Vietnamese mission. Many believed that Vietnam will make active and effective contributions to the functioning of the UNHRC.

Speaking with Vietnamese media, a member of Brazil’s permanent mission to the UN pointed out that Vietnam’s receiving the highest number of votes among candidate states for the UNHRC is evidence of the strong support for Vietnam among the international community.

The most important criterion for a country to be elected to the UNHRC, a 47-member UN agency responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights, is the candidate state’s contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, in addition to its voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard. Council members are selected by secret ballot.

Masood Khan, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, was quoted by the Voice of Vietnam as calling this is a miraculous success. That the election result was impressive demonstrates the prestige and strength of Vietnam, a country with an important role in the region and the world, a country with active contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights. Vietnam pays attention not only to boosting economic development but also to prioritising the protection of the civil, cultural and social rights of its people. Vietnam’s participation in the UNHRC will contribute to the protection of human rights and create an impetus for regional efforts to protect human rights.

As an observer of the UNHRC since the its inception in 2006, Vietnam has actively contributed ideas in a constructive spirit, ready to share its viewpoints and experience in promoting and protecting human rights. In recent years, Vietnam’s many achievements in protecting human rights have been recognised by the international community. In Vietnam, human rights are strongly promoted and the active participation of the people in all aspects of the country’s socio-economic life is an important factor in the success of the Doi Moireforms. Based on that foundation, Vietnam participates in the UNHRC with a desire to make more contributions to the effort of the international community to promote and protect human rights.

Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, permanent representative of Saudi Arabia to the UN, stressed that Vietnam fully deserves its membership in the UNHRC. Saudi Arabia highly values the achievements of the Vietnamese people and expects that Vietnam’s participation will contribute to strengthening and promoting the values and functioning of the Council. Saudi Arabia also believes that Vietnam will maintain its position at the UNHRC.

Ambassador Filippe Savadogo, Head of the Francophonie mission shared his joy at the victory of Vietnam and said that he had witnessed Vietnam’s great effort to make active contributions to all activity of the Francophonie, including those on human rights issues. The organisation believes that the election of one of its members to the UNHRC will increase the strength of the Francophonie.

The November 12 vote of the UN General Assembly at its headquarters in New York also received special coverage from the world media. In its earliest report following the announcement, the Washington Times stressed that although Vietnam has been elected for only the first time, the country received the support of nearly all UN member states and had the highest vote count out of 14 newly elected members.
Other countries also elected to the UNHRC include Cuba, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, France, the Maldives, Macedonia, Mexico, Algeria, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa. Vietnamese foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thanh Nghi once stated that Vietnam has confidence in its ability to assume membership in the UNHCR and it pledges to make active contributions to the Council in the spirit of dialogue, co-operation, equality and mutual respect.

The international community’s trust in Vietnam will energise Vietnam in its new global role and responsibilities, aiming to make contributions to human rights issues constructively and responsibly through dialogue, international co-operation and a balanced and comprehensive approach.

Source: nhandan.com.vn