New York (VNA) – Vietnam, in coordination withGermany, Belgium and Switzerland, held on October 9 an UN Security Council (UNSC)Arria-formula meeting on the enhancement of mediation sensitivity and effectivenessin preventing and resolving conflicts to help maintain international peace andsecurity.

At this event, which attracted representatives of nearly 40 UNand UNSC member states, Vietnam appealed to the UNSC to show its solidarity andunity,  help mediators fulfill their duties assigned under UNSC resolutions, promote consensus among partiesinvolved in disputes, and support mediation and preventive diplomatic activitiescarried out by the UN.

Nicholas Hayson, SpecialAdviser to the UN Secretary-General on Somalia, said mediation not only helpsput an end to conflicts but also brings about sustainable solutions acceptableto all sides.

As a mediator, he held thatthe UNSC can help bring relevant parties to negotiations, create a favourableenvironment for intermediary activities, form consensus among parties andattract the participation of regional organisations. On the other hand, a lackof unity in the UNSC may impede mediation efforts.

Natalia Gherman, SpecialRepresentative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia and head of the UNRegional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, noted themost important factors of mediation are building trust among related parties,creating flexible conditions for activities of mediators, and the UNSC’s politicalsupport.

She also stressed that the mediation process and outcomesmust have the participation of all people.

Echoing the view, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, SpecialRepresentative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel andhead of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, noted that building trustamong parties involved in conflicts and with mediators are the most crucialfactor in the mediation process.

At the meeting, Prof. Laurence Nathan, Senior Mediation Advisorto the UN, reported on his research outcomes that the UNSC hasn’t been providedwith sufficient information and studies on mediation principles and activities.

He affirmed that the UNSC plays an important role inmediation through issuing resolutions that assign tasks to mediators, encourageparties to negotiate, and ensure their compliance with law and internationalnorms.

He recommended the UNSC set up a working group on mediation,organise annual discussions on mediation, and increase studying and sharinggood mediation practices.

For his part, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’spermanent mission to the UN, said countries have the obligation to peacefullyresolve disputes and conflicts in line with Article 33 of the UN Charter,with mediation frequently used and proving useful.

Mediators have encountered numerous challenges whileperforming their duties, he said, calling on the UNSC to help promote mediationmeasures as a tool to maintain international peace and security.

Quy underlined that regional organisations can hold theleadership role in mediating disputes and conflicts in their regions, askingthe UNSC to bolster coordination and assist regional organisations to buildmediation capacity.

The ambassador also reiterated Vietnam’s commitment tocontributing to conflict prevention and settlement efforts via peaceful means,including mediation measures.

Vietnam successfully hosted the summit between the US andthe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in February 2019 and has supportedthe UN’s intermediary activities by making financial donations to the budgetfor mediation and preventive diplomacy, according to him.

He added that ASEAN is an example of building dialogue,mutual understanding and trust and managing crises in a region.

An Arria-formula meeting is an informal UNSC meeting withthe participation of UNSC and UN member states and international organisations todiscuss important and emerging issues./.