Geneva (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Tran LuuQuang attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks at a high-level discussionof the 52nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 27.

In his speech, Deputy PM Quang said the Universal Declarationof Human Rights (UDHR) and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA)on human rights are solid frameworks for the international community to jointlyenhance awareness and action to promote and protect human rights, and that manyimportant achievements have been obtained over decades.

However, those achievements are facing increasingly fiercechallenges such as wars, conflicts, violence, poverty, inequality andinjustice, natural disasters, epidemics, climate change, environmentaldegradation, food security and water security-related risks, and consequencesof the COVID-19 pandemic, he pointed out.

He took this occasion to express deep sympathies to Turkishand Syrian people on their losses in the recent earthquake. He also informedparticipants about Vietnam’s concrete and quick assistance for the governmentsand people of the two countries.

Quang highlighted the determination, efforts, and achievementsof Vietnam – a new UNHRC member – in making reforms, boosting socio-economicdevelopment, ensuring social security, and safeguarding and promoting humanrights, especially the maintenance of fast growth, the widespread coverage ofhealth insurance, a rate of women’s political participation among the world’shighest, and the continuous improvement in the human development indexrankings.

Underlining Vietnam’s motto when joining the UNHRC – “Respectand Understanding. Dialogue and Cooperation. All human rights for all people”,the Deputy PM called on countries to understand and respect one another’sdifferences, stay united, hold dialogue, and cooperate to resolve global issueson the basis of multilateralism, international law, and the UN Charter.

He stressed the need to focus on implementing the 2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development and the commitments on climate change adaptation.

To ensure the full enjoyment of human rights around theglobe, the UNHRC should play the central role in promoting constructive dialogue,equality, and effective cooperation among countries on the basis of mutualrespect and understanding and with an overarching approach, according to theVietnamese official.

At the discussion, Quang suggested the UDHR’s 75th anniversary and the VDPA’s 30th anniversary be celebrated with aUNHRC document to reaffirm the major and inclusive goals and values of thosestatements and the international community’s joint commitment for the sake of humanity./.