Geneva (VNA) – Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son hadseparate meetings in Geneva on February 27 with United Nations (UN) HighCommissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, Minister of the People's Power forForeign Affairs of Venezuela Yvan Gil Pinto, and Parliamentary Secretary to theCanadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pam Damoff on the sidelines of the 55thsession of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Meeting Volker Türk, Son briefed him onVietnam’s achievements in socioeconomic development and poverty reduction, andin ensuring the enjoyment of human rights for people during the national renewaland development process over the past nearly 40 years.

He affirmed that Vietnam values andimplements many specific measures to protect human rights, and sharedinformation on the completion of the national report under the Universal PeriodicReview (UPR)’s fourth cycle.

He proposed the High Commissioner's Office continueto maintain close coordination in and support for the implementation of Vietnam'sinitiatives, including a resolution on human rights and climate change to be submitted to the UNHRC in June.

Volker Türk congratulated Vietnam on asuccessful first year as a member of the UNHRC in the 2023-2025 term, andthanked the country for making meaningful commitments on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He appreciatedVietnam's active coordination with and support for the High Commissioner'sOffice and wished to continue strengthening cooperation between the two sides.

At his meeting with Yvan Gil Pinto, theVietnamese minister expressed his hope that the two ministries will coordinateclosely to promote exchange activities, especially that of high-leveldelegations in 2024 when the two countries celebrate the 35th anniversary of theestablishment of their diplomatic ties. Son proposed Venezuela create favourableconditions for Vietnamese goods such as rice, garment and textiles, footwear,and electronics, and expand collaborationto potential areas such as food security.

The Venezuelan minister affirmed his country values its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam - its most important partnerin Southeast Asia. He shared the importance of promoting delegation exchangeactivities at all levels, strengthening MOUs in economic, trade and investment collaboration, and telecommunications and agriculturalcooperation projects. The official asserted that Venezuela is always willing to support Vietnam at multilateralforums.

Meeting Pam Damoff, Son emphasised the needfor the two countries to lift their economic and trade ties to a new height,and make the most of their cooperation potential, particularly within theframework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-PacificPartnership (CPTPP).

Pam Damoff asserted that Canada attachesspecial importance to its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam, and is willingto support the country in such areas as peacekeeping and human rightprotection. She agreed with Son’s proposal of boosting bilateral cooperation ineconomics, trade, investment, education - training, green transition, and renewableenergy as well as maintaining close coordination at international and regionalmechanisms, including the UNHRC.

She also appreciated the contributions by the Vietnamese community to cultural diversity in Canada, and pledged to createmore favourable conditions for Vietnamese students to access the educationalenvironment in her country./.