Vietnam will officially assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), beginning on July 1.

Vietnam will officially assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), beginning on July 1.
This is a great honour for Vietnam and testifies to the country’s active and responsible participation in tackling global issues.
The role is an important aspect of Vietnam’s foreign affairs in 2008 and has affirmed international trust in the country as well as its rising role and position globally. Notably, it comes after successful recent overseas trips by top Vietnamese Party and State leaders.
They included a visit to China by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, visits to European countries by State President Nguyen Minh Triet and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and a visit to the US by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Vietnam was elected with a majority of votes to the UNSC as a non-permanent member for the 2008-09 term at a UN General Assembly session in New York in September.

Over the past six months, Vietnam has actively and effectively participated in all UNSC activities, including documenting the adherence to the principles of international law, the UN Charter, and respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
It has attended more than 150 ambassadorial-level meetings and many specialist meetings and discussed nearly 30 regional issues with other UNSC members and adopted more than 20 resolutions and 20 joint statements of the UNSC President.
July will be a busy month for Vietnam in the new position as it will be drafting the working agenda for UNSC meetings and presiding over open and closed meetings (approximately 40 per month).
To this end, it will conduct informal consultations with other UNSC members, relevant individuals and organisations to draft statements and resolutions. It will represent the UNSC issuing press releases and informing UN member states of UNSC meeting results.
In addition, the nation will coordinate meetings between the UN Secretary General and other UN Secretariat senior official and the President of the UN General Assembly, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and other countries if required. It will also prepare the UNSC annual report reviewing UNSC activities from March 31, 2007 to March 31, 2008 for submission to the UN General Assembly.

The UNSC Presidency is a new and complicated task for Vietnam. However, with its active and effective contributions over the past six months as a UNSC non-permanent member, Vietnam is expected to fulfil this task, helping to elevate the country’s image globally and promote relations between Vietnam, other UNSC and UN members.