The 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, also known as the Declaration on Decolonialisation, was held by three members of the UN Security Council, including the nation, alongside Russia, and South Africa, on December 17.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN

The efforts to mark the event were co-chaired by Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, the Chargé d’affaires of the Russian mission, and the deputy head of the South African mission.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and witnessed the presence of ambassadors and chargé d’affaires of approximately 100 missions of various UN member states.

During the event Ambassador Quy pointed out the difficulties facing the country and its sustained efforts during its struggle to achieve national liberation and independence, emphasising the connection between the Vietnamese people’s struggle and those of other people throughout the globe.

Furthermore, the local diplomat told the story of Nguyen Ai Quoc, who later became President Ho Chi Minh. The former Vietnamese leader sent a document detailing the claims of the Annamite people to the Versailles conference in 1919, a venue where colonial powers discussed issues relating to their overseas territories, largely without the participation of native people. In addition, he also wrote a letter to the President of the first session of the UN General Assembly in 1946 to express the nation’s desire to join the UN.

The country’s path to achieve national independence and reunification can thereby be compared to the struggles of many countries around the world, especially in Africa, adding that it received strong spiritual support from many nations and international friends during this fight, Ambassador Quy said.

The local diplomat also affirmed the importance of the decolonialisation process and the rights of countries and peoples to self-determination in line with the Declaration on Decolonialisation, the UN Charter, and related resolutions.

He therefore called on countries to bolster co-operation with relevant UN agencies as a means of stepping up decolonialisation and the declaration implementation in the spirit of solidarity and mutual support.

During the event, UN member states underscored the significance of the Declaration on Decolonialisation as adopted by the UN General Assembly through Resolution 1514 in 1960, stating that this declaration remains one of the most important documents produced by the UN.

They also re-affirmed their commitments to continue implementing the Declaration on Decolonialisation and promoting the process via co-operation with relevant UN agencies.