New York (VNA)✤ – The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations and missions of the Philippines, Australia, Egypt, Guatemala, Hungary, Thailand, France, Eritrea and Austria, organised a ceremony on October 22 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), as part of the International Law Week at the UN General Assembly's Legal Committee (Sixth Committee).

Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and head of the Vietnamese delegation attending the Sixth Committee's session, highlighted the robust and growing cooperation between Vietnam and the court as a model for other nations. He cited several practical and effective cooperation activities, noting that they not only promoted the peaceful settlement of international disputes in the region but also enhanced the capacity of Vietnam's legal officers and experts, with the aim of extending this benefit to legal professionals across the region. Regarding the enhancement of the court's role in settling disputes in Asia-Pacific, he said this region is becoming increasingly significant in terms of geopolitics, economy-trade, and security. He urged the court to strengthen its role and contributions, suggesting it further invest in its representative offices in the Asia-Pacific region, including the one in Hanoi, and actively hold more activities to promote and diversify cooperation with regional countries, particularly in capacity building for legal officers and experts. Delegates underscored the court's crucial role in peacefully settling global disputes, upholding the rule of law, and contributing to maintaining peace and stability. They also shared regional and national practices in cooperating with the PCA. The PCA was established under the 1899 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes and the 1907 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. Its primary mission is to facilitate the settlement of international disputes between states, and between states and foreign entities across various sectors./.