Hanoi (VNA) - The following is the remarks by Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc at the United Nations General Assembly High-level meeting tocommemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN in New York on September 21.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

We are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the United Nations at anextraordinary time. Our pride for the growth of the United Nations iscommingled with anxiousness, as instability and pandemic are rampaging our planet.

In the past 75 years, no world wars have come to pass. Peace, cooperation andfriendship have been thriving. Poverty and diseases have been on the retreat.The life of humankind has been changing for the better.

These immense achievements would not have been possible without the fundamentalprinciples of the UN Charter, and the United Nations itself, as the “centre forharmonizing the actions of nations” .

The world today is faced with unprecedented challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic,together with instabilities, conflicts, great power competition, powerpolitics, and climate change are threatening the sustainable peace anddevelopment of nations.

There is a Vietnamese saying which goes “As fire tests gold, so do hardshiptest one's resolve”. The greater the challenge we face, the more we need towork together in solidarity and strengthen multilateralism with the UN at itscore. The UN Charter and international law must be observed. The independence,sovereignty, and territorial integrity of states must be respected. The peoplemust be at the heart of all efforts for development so that no one is leftbehind.

Ladies and gentlemen,

For the Vietnamese nation, “nothing is more precious than independence andfreedom”, and we have spared no effort to defend our independence and freedom.In the past 35 years, we have also engaged in a process of Doi Moi reforms withthe people at the centre. Today, our country, with much confidence, is enjoyingvibrant growth, and pursuing extensive economic restructuring and activeinternational integration, participating as a responsible member at numerousmultilateral forums, especially the United Nations. We are exerting all effortsfor the goal of a prosperous people and a strong nation that enjoys equality,democracy and the fruits of civilisation.

Thanks to the collaboration with all international partners and with our ownefforts, Vietnam has managed to basically contain the COVID-19, and a strongrebound of our economy is expected to follow.

I take this opportunity to extend to fellow UN member states our gratitude forentrusting Vietnam with a non-permanent membership at the UN Security Councilfor 2020-2021. We are doing our utmost to fulfil this mandate as weconcurrently serve as the Chair of ASEAN in 2020, where Vietnam is workingclosely with fellow ASEAN member states to build an ASEAN Community of unity,resilience and prosperity.

We in Vietnam are determined to work alongside all other nations around theworld to safeguard peace and realise the UN Sustainable Development Goals. TheVietnamese flag will be flying at even more UN Peacekeeping Missions. I amfully confident that with strong determination and joint actions, together wewill build a brighter future for all.

Thank you for your kind attention./.