40 years of United Nations membership: Vietnam's position changes in quality

Over the past 40 years (1977-2017), Vietnam has gradually moved from attending conferences to actively and proactively participating in the mechanisms of the United Nations (UN). Vietnam has also moved from being a recipient of assistance to being a cooperative partner with the UN and participating in contributing to the building of the UN.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed that it was the struggle of our people that contributed to the UN passing the Resolution on granting independence to colonial countries and colonial peoples. Photo: VGP

That was the affirmation of Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to the United Nations (September 20, 1977 - September 20, 2017).

On January 14, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh sent a telegram to the President of the UN General Assembly proposing Vietnam's accession to the UN, demonstrating Vietnam's respect for this global organization right from the first day of gaining independence.

Due to historical factors, more than 30 years later, on September 20, 1977, Vietnam officially became the 149th member of the United Nations, but through its struggle for independence, Vietnam contributed to the common aspiration of countries for peace, stability and independence.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, it was our people's struggle that contributed to the UN passing the very famous Resolution of the General Assembly, Resolution 1514 on December 14, 1960, on granting independence to colonial countries and colonial peoples.

Resolution 1514 created a wave of national liberation movements around the world, forcing colonial countries to grant independence to their colonies, leading to a rapid increase in the number of members of the United Nations in the 1960s.

Since becoming a member of the United Nations, Vietnam has begun to receive assistance and support from the United Nations through specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other organizations that have come to Vietnam, contributing to the reconstruction of Vietnam through specific projects that have had positive and widespread impacts to this day, such as the expanded immunization program, the family planning program, etc.

Over the past four decades, the UN has supported Vietnam with over 2 billion USD, actively contributing to the country's construction and development in various fields.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has also actively contributed to enhancing the role of the United Nations through participating in the development of international legal norms and standards, from the fields of disarmament to socio-economic issues or participating in UN orientations such as the Millennium Goals and Sustainable Development Goals.

Vietnam's successful implementation of the Millennium Goals also contributes to the common goals of the UN, and at the same time shows that the UN sets goals and countries can achieve them, as in the case of Vietnam.

In particular, in its cooperation with the UN, Vietnam’s position has also changed. Vietnam has gradually moved from attending conferences to actively and proactively participating in UN mechanisms.

Vietnam has run for election to bodies from low to high, the mechanisms of the UN, from committees such as the Commission for Social Development, the Commission on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Commission on Equality of Women to the Human Rights Council, the Economic and Social Council and the UN Security Council.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed: “Over the past 40 years, we have transformed from a country receiving assistance to a cooperative partner with the UN and contributed to building the UN into a global organization responsible for the world and regions, from peace and security to socio-economic development”./.

According to chinhphu.vn