In their respective current capacity as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), both Vietnam and Indonesia have spoken highly of the EU’s leading role in promoting multilateralism during a UNSC teleconference held on May 28.

Representatives of UNSC members participate in the teleconference (Phto:VNA) 

Addressing the event, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, alongside Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, head of the Indonesian mission to the UN, noted that the EU is currently a vanguard in terms of maintaining international peace and security.

The pair both expressed their hope that the EU will continue to collaborate closely alongside the UN to boost co-operation in areas such as conflict settlement, mediation, humanitarian assistance, as well as promoting multilateralism based on the principles set out in the UN Charter.  

The two diplomats went on to highlight ASEAN’s recent contributions to building a peaceful, secure, and prosperous region in Southeast Asia. In addition, the bloc is also helping to create a favourable environment for its partners in which to build trust, reinforce preventive diplomacy, minimise differences, and get involved in issues of common interest.

Proposals have been made that regional organisations, including the EU and ASEAN, should work closely alongside the UN to address issues relating to the EU’s commitment to increasing the capacity building of UN peace-keeping forces of ASEAN member states, in addition to sharing information in this regard.

During the event, European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell, who is also the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, voiced his support for a rule-based international order, in which the UN plays a central role. Borrell noted that multilateralism itself is at stake, with countries needing to act in a manner to support UN reform as a means of combating unilateralism and other negative forms of politics.

All UNSC members therefore agreed to support greater co-operation between the UN and the EU in promoting multilateralism, and emphasised that co-operation between the UN and regional organisations should be consistent with the provisions set out in the UN Charter. Indeed, plenty of UNSC members underscored the key role that the EU can play as mediators and peacekeepers in helping to resolve global issues relating to international peace and security in a number of global hotspots, most notably in Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans.