The United Nations should transform itself and continue to play a central role in addressing global challenges, including wars and conflicts, nuclear weapon disarmament, climate change, terrorism, poverty and social inequality, said Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga. While attending the General Debate of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly on October 2, Nga, who is Head of the Vietnam Mission to the UN, affirmed that over the last seven decades, the UN has grown to be the most representative global organisation and to become the true centre for the coordination of global efforts to tackle common challenges. “As a beacon of hope, the United Nations has indeed helped make the world a better place by playing an increasingly important role in maintaining peace and security, in protecting and promoting human rights and in advancing development and progress,” she said. “Guided by its own Charter, the United Nations has worked to uphold the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, non-interference and non-threat or use of force, to provide guidance for peaceful and amicable relations among nations, underlining in particular the importance of mutual respect, good faith and peaceful settlement of disputes”. However, in the face of increasing global challenges, the work of the General Assembly needs to be revitalised to make it more focused, efficient and relevant, while the Security Council needs to be more representative, democratic, transparent and effective, the Ambassador added. The diplomat declared that Vietnam welcomes the adoption of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and pledges to do its utmost to successfully implement the programme. “In order to succeed, sustainable development must truly be of the people, by the people and for the people. In other words, the people must be at the center of this Agenda, as the owner, driver and beneficiary of all development efforts. And no agenda can succeed without a strong global partnership for sustainable development,” she stated. As such, Vietnam is joining hands with other regional countries in building the ASEAN Community to promote common development of the region. It is working tirelessly with other ASEAN members and all parties concerned in order to maintain peace and stability in the region, including by calling upon all parties to refrain from the threat or use of force and settle all disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, while ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and to work for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct, Nga added. Within the framework of the 70 th session from September 28 to October 3, Ambassador Nga also delivered a speech at a high-level thematic debate themed “Maintenance of International Peace and Security” on October 1.-VNA