Vietnam is ready to take on the role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for 2020-2021 from January 1, 2020, said Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese permanent mission to the UN.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese permanent mission to the UN
(Photo: VNA) 

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the ambassador said after Vietnam’s election to the council, preparations started immediately and personnel assigned for the role are now ready and waiting, he said.

The Vietnamese permanent mission to the UN has also been running on trial the coordination mechanism between the mission in New York and the interdisciplinary mechanism in Hanoi for a month, he said.

Each country elected to the UN Security Council has been given a seat at each meeting of the council since October 1, providing an opportunity for the Vietnamese delegation to test its apparatus, he added.

Regarding content, Vietnam has initially got agreement on a draft working agenda for January 2020.

The ambassador also pointed out the challenges facing Vietnam, including unpredictable emerging issues and possible disagreement between permanent members.

Vietnam must deal with how to protect world peace and security as well as its own interests, and at the same time, maintain good relations with all parties. They are the biggest challenges, he said.

The diplomat added that Vietnam has experience and the support of the 15 member countries of the UN Security Council.

He said five permanent members and nine other non-permanent ones have good relations with Vietnam, and they all cooperate for a common goal of protecting international security and peace. 

Despite differences of interests, the problem lies in how to address the issue, he said, adding that Vietnam has experience in this field as a non-permanent member of the council for 2008-2009.