Geneva (VNA) – Ambassador MaiPhan Dung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN in Geneva, on March 7affirmed the importance the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)attaches to fisheries cooperation and Vietnam’s achievements in developing thissector.

He delivered speeches while attendingan interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food.

On behalf of ASEAN, Dung stated that the bloc always attaches importance to fisheries cooperation and considers this asone of the economic integration priorities that plays an important role inensuring food security, promoting the economies, and boosting livelihoodsacross the region.

He also shared many initiatives ofthe regional grouping aiming to assist small-scale producers, including the Strategic Planof Action on ASEAN Cooperation on Fisheries (2021 - 2025) that identifiesstrategic priorities such as enhancing the fisheries and aquaculture sector’sresilience to climate change and natural shocks, and helping small-scale producersimprove productivity and competitiveness.

The ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration onStrengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises, adopted lastSeptember, emphasises the commitment to facilitating fishermen’s access tofinance to improve the long-term resilience and sustainability of fisheries, the diplomat noted, adding italso stresses the necessity to utilise available resources in ASEAN for foodproduction, especially for small-scale farmers, fishermen, and other groups vulnerableto food insecurity.

Delivering the speech of Vietnam,Ambassador Dung highlighted the country’s efforts and achievements in fisheriesdevelopment and gave a brief presentation of Vietnam’s strategy for fisheriesdevelopment by 2030, with a vision to 2045.

He affirmed that Vietnam will continuepromoting and protecting the rights of workers, especially women, in the fisheriesand aquaculture sector. It will assist them to access finance, marketinformation, capital, and suitable technology while ensuring stable-income jobsand safe network for them.
         
Earlier, at the dialogue with the UNSpecial Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Minister Counsellor CungDuc Han, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, noted thecountry’s commitment to enhancing cultural rights and inclusive participationin science.

The Constitution of Vietnam protectsall people’s right to scientific or technological research and literary or artcreation, and their entitlement to benefits from those activities, he went on.

Echoing the UN Special Rapporteur’srecommendations that aim to boost the effective engagement of vulnerablegroups, Han said that under the socio-economic development strategy for 2021 -2030 with a vision to 2045, Vietnam has carried out many initiatives to removebarriers and open up more opportunities for exploration, reform, andsustainable development./.