Hanoi (VNA) – The election of aVietnamese ambassador as Chairman of the World Intellectual PropertyOrganisation (WIPO) General Assembly, with the support of all member countries,has shown Vietnam’s growing stature in the global arena.

Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’sPermanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other international organisations inGeneva, was elected Chairman of the WIPO General Assembly for 2018-2019 byrepresentatives of all 191 WIPO member countries at the General Assembly’s 49thsession.

His election was the outcome of strongcontributions by the Vietnamese mission and the ambassador himself to the WIPO’swork.

Ambassador Dung was the Asia-Pacific candidate,which has not had a representative serve as Chairperson of the WIPO GeneralAssembly for more than a decade.

Vietnam’s candidacy for the position aimed tocontinue implementing the country’s multilateral foreign policy to be aresponsible and proactive member with practical contributions to internationalorganisations and forums.

The election win marked a new stride in thecountry’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and integration intothe world for peace, development and social progress.

The WIPO, founded in 1967, is one of the 16specialised UN agencies.

The organisation and the world’s intellectualproperty (IP) system are forecast to face various challenges in the next twoyears. The rapid development of science-technology, globalisation and theFourth Industrial Revolution will greatly influence IP management and policies,including the building of international standards to meet new IP protectionrequirements.

[Vietnam elected WIPO General Assembly Chairman]

Vietnam became a member of the United Nations onSeptember 20, 1977, heralding a new era for the country’s multilateraldiplomacy, which has substantially aided national development. 

Aside from the WIPO, Vietnam has contributed toorganisations within the UN framework in general. It successfully fulfilled itsrole as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2008-2009. It waselected as Vice President of the UN General Assembly in 1997, 2000 and 2003,and President of the 33rd UN Food and Agriculture Organisation General Assemblyin 2005.

The country has also worked as a member of otherUN agencies such as the Human Rights Council in 2014-2016, the Economic andSocial Council in 2016-2018, the Executive Board of the Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2015-2019.

It is now campaigning for a non-permanent seaton the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

Vietnam’s participation in UN activities hashelped raise its international standing and protect the country’s interests,particularly in terms of security, sovereignty and territorial integrity,through the principles of respecting all countries’ independence, sovereigntyand territorial integrity, peacefully resolving disputes, and ensuringlegitimate interests of all member countries.-VNA