"Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. Philemon Yang on his election as President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly and believe that our conference will be a great success.
I also appreciate the important contributions and efforts of Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the 78th United Nations General Assembly, and Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations in coordinating United Nations activities to prevent war, maintain peace, and promote global development cooperation in recent times.
Mr. President and ladies and gentlemen,
The world is in a period of epochal change. Peace, cooperation and development, although a major trend, are facing new and more serious difficulties and challenges. Strategic competition between major countries is increasingly fierce, profound, expanding in spatial scope, increasing in intensity and confrontation; political conflicts and contradictions are increasing rapidly, the security environment is increasingly tense, living and development space is narrowing, threats, risks of conflicts, the formation of hot spots, stimulating the arms race, the risks of tension, confrontation and direct collisions are increasing.
The rise of authoritarianism and nationalism is challenging international law, eroding multilateral institutions and confidence in global cooperation. The spiral of conflict and violence is escalating in many regions of the world, causing suffering to millions of innocent people. The risk of limited nuclear war, even a third world war, cannot be ruled out.
Increasingly severe non-traditional security challenges, climate change, extreme weather events, natural disasters, epidemics, resource depletion, population aging... are pushing back human development efforts. Poor countries are left behind with an ever-widening development gap.
Super typhoon Yagi, which Vietnam and some countries in the region have just suffered with devastating and tragic consequences, is once again a warning about the serious impact of natural disasters and climate change on the rapid and sustainable development of all of us.
The world has enough food to feed 1.5 times the global population, but hunger continues to threaten more than 780 million people and 2.4 billion people are food insecure.
Defense spending has been rising steadily for nearly a decade, reaching a record of more than $2.4 trillion in 2023, while failing to raise $100 billion for climate action.
We are only one-third of the way there, but more than 80% of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at risk of not being achieved on time.
The world economy is growing with difficulty, the trend of “separation”, fragmentation and economic pressure and sanctions threatens rapid and sustainable development. The fourth industrial revolution opens up opportunities for breakthrough development but also poses challenges related to the security and safety of society and people.
These are unprecedented difficulties and challenges to peace, cooperation, sustainable development and human dignity of present and future generations.
The current situation requires more and more joint efforts, joint actions, joint efforts and close cooperation among all countries, promoting the role of international institutions, first of all the United Nations, regional organizations, including ASEAN, to achieve the highest goal of ending war, eliminating all forms of oppression and exploitation, creating peace, building a better world and bringing happiness to humanity.
In that spirit, I would like to share Vietnam's vision for a more peaceful, stable, cooperative, prosperous and sustainable future for all people:
Firstly, peace and stability are the foundation for building a prosperous future. It is necessary to promote compliance with international law and the United Nations Charter in all countries, first of all major countries.
Each country needs to act responsibly, comply with its own commitments, comply with international law, the United Nations Charter; including the basic principles of peaceful settlement of disputes, non-use or threat of use of force, equality in sovereignty, respect for each other's territorial integrity; respect for the political regime each country has chosen and supported by its people; contribute to the common work of the international community according to its capacity.
Constantly strengthen solidarity, sincerity, and trust among nations, promote dialogue, eliminate confrontation; resolutely oppose unilateral isolation and embargoes that go against international law and the United Nations Charter.
Second, ensure equal development of each country, each community, each person in different economic, social and cultural conditions.
Unleash, mobilize and effectively use all resources to serve development in accordance with the needs of each country.
Prioritize resources for “low-lying areas” in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Focus on supporting developing and underdeveloped countries, especially in terms of preferential capital, advanced technology transfer, training of high-quality human resources, facilitating investment and trade, and reducing debt burden for poor countries.
Third, promptly establish smart global governance frameworks with a long-term vision for science and technology, especially emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, to ensure the promotion of progressive development and the enjoyment of positive achievements; while proactively preventing and repelling threats to peace, sustainable development and humanity.
In that context, I welcome the United Nations documents adopted at the Future Summit, especially the Global Digital Document. This will be an important foundation for promoting global governance and international cooperation in these areas.
Fourth, there is a new mindset to create a transformative, comprehensive future, focusing on digital transformation, green transformation and global governance transformation. Green transformation and digital transformation are important tools to help countries, especially developing countries, increase their resilience and self-reliance to promptly respond to and proactively prevent future shocks, crises and disasters.
Focus on reforming multilateral mechanisms, especially the United Nations system and international financial and monetary institutions, to better ensure representation, fairness, and transparency; enhance capacity, efficiency, and readiness for the future and keep up with a changing world.
Fifth, put people at the center of the subject to realize visions. Take people as the center, goal, and driving force of all policies and actions at all levels.
Invest in and comprehensively develop the young generation in knowledge and culture on the basis of common values and a spirit of responsibility and dedication.
Vietnam welcomes the General Assembly's official granting of more substantive participation rights to the State of Palestine from its 79th session; affirms solidarity with the Cuban State and people, calls on the US to lift unilateral blockade and embargo measures against Cuba and remove Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
These are specific and practical actions for the equal development and happiness of nations, which need to be strongly promoted in the coming time.
Mr. President and ladies and gentlemen,
Our President Ho Chi Minh - "National Liberation Hero and Outstanding Cultural Man of Vietnam" - once emphasized "Unity - unity - great unity. Success - success - great success".
Only through solidarity, cooperation, trust, joint efforts and consensus can we successfully build a world of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations, so that no one is left behind.
In today's rapidly changing world, every nation plays an important role in the grand symphony of the times.
Vietnam is striving and accelerating to realize a peaceful, stable, prosperous and sustainable future, not only for the Vietnamese people, but also for all countries in the world. That is Vietnam's vision, goal and strong commitment to the international community today and tomorrow.
Thank you very much".
