Vietnam’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international organizations in Geneva made the remark in a recent interview with the Geneva Geostrategic Observatory. The interview was also published by the Swiss newspaper Tribune de Genève.
He stressed that multilateralism and international integration were at the heart of Vietnamese diplomacy. The country always attaches great importance to the multilateral mechanisms and forums of the UN and the WTO, among others, and proactively participates in multilateral negotiations in Geneva, including as a member of the Human Rights Council of the UN for the period 2023-2025.
Vietnam wishes to diversify its partners and strengthen a peaceful and stable international environment conducive to its development. This will not only make it possible to better defend its national interests but also to take advantage of external resources for its sustainable development. It also allows the country to contribute to international efforts aimed at resolving many of the problems countries are currently facing and also promoting world peace and development, he continued.
The Vietnamese diplomat said the multilateral system established after World War II has played a crucial role in preventing wars, promoting peace and international cooperation for the development of nations. However, the global situation has changed significantly, creating new demands on the global multilateral system.
Humanity faces new challenges such as terrorism, poverty, food insecurity, epidemics, natural disasters and climate change.
In addition, scientific and technological development has changed mentalities. Factors such as lack of trust, protectionist tendencies, increased nationalism and realpolitik also undermine the multilateral system.
In this context, reform of the multilateral system is not only necessary but also urgent. This reform must be based on respect for the independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests of each nation. It must promote the democratic and equitable participation of nations in decision-making processes, he stressed.
A comprehensive review of the multilateral system, encompassing the areas of security, economics, development and finance, is essential to address global challenges and strengthen the interests of all nations, the ambassador said.
Optimizing international organizations
At the same time, he added, it is crucial to modernize and optimize international organizations, improving their operational efficiency, streamlining their budgets and reducing their administrative costs. In doing so, the multilateral system will be able to better respond to the challenges of the contemporary world and promote international cooperation for the benefit of all.
Regarding learning and teaching the French language in Vietnam, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung affirmed that French remains a popular language in Vietnam with around 700,000 speakers, or nearly 0.7% of the population. national.
In recent years, Vietnam has made significant progress in the teaching of French with policies aimed at promoting its learning from primary school to university, recognizing the value of this language in the job market.
A report published by the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in 2023 showed that French was the second most learned foreign language in Vietnam, after English. In 2021, bilingual classes had around 13,000 students, not including 60,000 other people learning French in different study cycles.
Vietnam is an active member of the French-speaking community and maintains its cooperation with partners such as the OIF, the Francophone University Agency (AUF) and diplomatic representation agencies in Vietnam to further promote French and strengthen its vitality in the countries as well as throughout the Asia-Pacific region, the ambassador said.
This article is originally published on lecourrier.vn
