Hanoi (VNA) – The UN must serve as the“incubator” for multilateral cooperation initiatives for peace, development andprosperity, stated Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trongin his first-ever remarks sent to the High-level General Debate of the 75thsession of the United Nations General Assembly on September 25 (Vietnamesetime).

The Vietnamese leader said that further reforms should be undertaken to transform the UN into astronger and more effective organisation that can fulfill its role ofharmonizing the interests and behaviours of states in the face of themonumental changes of the current time.

He stressed that the UNCharter and the fundamental principles of international law must be upheld andadvanced as the norms of behavior for all countries in contemporaryinternational relations.

“The COVID-19 pandemicserves as a stern warning to us all, requiring our stronger commitments andstronger actions to promote sustainable, inclusive and human-centereddevelopment,” he said.

According to the leader, Vietnamattaches importance to cooperation with the UN and will work with other UN memberstates to make the organisation more democratic, transparent and effective.

As the 2020 ASEAN Chair,Vietnam is working with fellow member states to build a region of peace,friendship and cooperation, in order to realize the vision of ASEAN as apolitically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsiblecommunity, pledged the leader.

“Together with countrieswithin and outside the region, we are committed to the maintenance andpromotion of peace, stability, maritime security and safety and freedom ofnavigation in the East Sea in accordance with international law, particularlythe 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”, he stated.

He called on all concernedparties to exercise restraint, avoid unilateral acts that would complicate thesituation, and settle disputes and differences through peaceful means with duerespect for diplomatic and legal processes.

He noted that Vietnam wasonce a poor and backward country ravaged by war, strangled by embargo. Afterthirty-five years of “Doi Moi”reform, Vietnam has emerged as a middle-income developing country and is aimingto be a high-income industrial country by 2045.

In the fight againstCOVID-19, difficulties notwithstanding, Vietnam has recorded positive andnoteworthy outcomes, he said, adding that the country has successfullycontained the pandemic while promoting social and economic development.

Out of internationalsolidarity and with the understanding thatthe pandemic is only defeated when weall win, Vietnam has engaged in cooperation and experience sharing with manycountries, including support provided to those worst affected by the pandemicand to the common international efforts, said the leader.

In their remarks at the meeting,leaders of other UN countries highlighted unprecedented impacts from the COVID-19pandemic. They affirmed their strong commitments to promoting multilateralismand support to UN role as well as the strengthening ofsolidarity and mutual support in fighting the pandemic and recovering growthafter the pandemic ends, and dealing with global challenges./.