Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son is taking part in the 15th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15) held from October 3 to 7.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (Source: VNA)– Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son is taking part in
the 15th session of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15) held from October 3 to 7.
Themed “From
inequality and vulnerability to prosperity for all”, the event takes place both in person and virtually in Geneva (Switzerland)
and Bridgetown (Barbados).
In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underlined that developing
countries are facing serious challenges to promoting trade and development amid
the post-pandemic recovery. Therefore, the UN needs to bring into play its role
in assisting developing countries in these efforts.
Addressing
the UNCTAD 15’s plenary session on October 6, Minister Son said the
year 2021 marks a new chapter for global trade and development. In particular, digitalisation
and innovation have profoundly changed the ways countries exchange and
cooperate with one another. Inequality has been increasing in not only grasping
opportunities of globalisation but also the capacity of post-pandemic recovery;
and global challenges, especially climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic,
have caused unprecedented health, economic, and social crises.
Giving
three recommendations, he said firstly, it is necessary to promote multilateralism
and international cooperation to bring the pandemic under control, improve the
adaptability, accelerate the economic recovery process around the globe, and
consolidate the foundations for enhancing the resilience to possible global shocks
in the future.
Secondly, future
development needs to guarantee the sustainability and inclusiveness in terms of
economy, environment, and society, he said, asking for stronger international
efforts to help improve the adaptability of the regions highly vulnerable to
climate change, including the Sub-Mekong region and the Mekong Delta of
Vietnam.
Thirdly, UNCTAD should bring into play its role in boosting global cooperation in
innovation and digitalisation so as to create new driving forces for
sustainable development and technology-based growth, according to Son.
The official
affirmed that Vietnam is exerting every effort to control and safely adapt to
the pandemic and promote economic recovery.
The country
wishes to continue receiving close cooperation from UNCTAD and the international
community during the realisation of its development goals. It will also keep
joining hands with the international community to ensure a global environment of peace, stability, development, and prosperity, he added.
The UNCTAD 15 is expected to adopt a declaration themed “From inequality
and vulnerability to prosperity for all” which will emphasise that the key to resolving challenges to global trade and development is fostering
multilateralism and international cooperation.
Apart from the plenary session, the
Vietnamese delegation also attended and actively gave opinions at the senior officials’
meeting and the ministerial meeting of G77 and China./.