New York (VNA) – Vietnam’s non-permanent seat on theUnited Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2020-2021, which earned a recordhigh number of 192 votes out of the 193 member countries and territories of theUN General Assembly, enables the Southeast Asian country to make moreremarkable contributions to the world’s peace, development and prosperity.

This election result meets the aspiration of all Vietnamese peopleand proves that after over 30 years of reforms and international integration,the prestige, role and position of Vietnam within the framework of the UN and onthe global arena have been increasing.

Following the country’s UNSC non-permanent membership win, PartyGeneral Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong sent a message to thank theinternational community for recognising the role and contributions of Vietnamin regional and international works as well as affirm that Vietnam will spareno effort to fulfill the mission of a non-permanent member of the UNSC,deserving to be a reliable partner for sustainable peace.

Vietnam’s election to the UNSC for the second time reaffirmed thecountry’s determination in the implementation of foreign policy of peace, independence,cooperation and development, and it is the highest manifestation of thecountry’s foreign policy of multilateralisation, diversification, and activeand responsible participation in international forums and organisations, theleader said.

According to UN Resident Coordinator in VietnamKamal Malhotra, with the election to the UNSC, Vietnam will have moreopportunities to prove its ability and play an important role in regional andglobal events.

Vietnam served as a non-permanent member of theUN Security Council for the 2008-2009 tenure, which was the first time thecountry joined the UN’s most important agency for global peace and security.

During the tenure, Vietnam implemented a foreignpolicy of peace and made contributions to addressing world conflicts and crisiswhile backing peaceful negotiations and restriction of sanctions, based oninternational law and principles of the UN Charter.

Apart from fully participating in 1,500 meetingsof the UN Security Council, Vietnam actively got involved in all matters and inall stages of work in the council, through making speeches, joining innegotiations, contributing to the drafting of resolutions and documents, andserving as chair and vice chair of some subcommittees of the council. Itchaired the negotiations and compilation of the council’s resolution on womenand security peace.

As a representative of Asia, Vietnam pushed thepeaceful settlement of regional issues as well as well matters in other regionslike Africa and the Middle East.

At the same time, the country was able toflexibly handle its relations with powerful countries and those with commoninterests and traditional relations based on respecting and protecting thelegitimate interests of stakeholders.

Becoming the UNSC non-permanent member for 2020-2021 is an important milestonein Vietnam’s implementation of the 12th National Party CongressResolution which guides the multilateral diplomatic work to “proactively integrate into and promote the country’s role in multilateral mechanisms, especiallyASEAN and the UN”, and the Party Secretariat Directive No. 25 CT/TW datedAugust 8, 2018 which asks the multilateral diplomatic work to “strive to play aleading or mediatory role in multilateral organisations and forums havingstrategic importance to the country.”-VNA