Both sides affirmed the brotherhood and solidarity between the youth and people of the two countries, expressing their commitment to continuously striving to ensure that this exemplary relationship is passed down from one generation to the next.

 A delegation of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee led by its Secretary Nguyen Tuong Lam paid a working visit to Cuba from April 21 to 23 to strengthen solidarity, friendship, and cooperation with the Cuban Union of Young Communists (UJC), during which the Vietnamese delegation attended the Vietnam–Cuba youth forum.

At the event, First Secretary of UJC Meyvis Esteves Echevarria affirmed that the young generation of Cuba will continue to nurture and deepen the cherished legacy connecting the Cuban and Vietnamese peoples, ensuring that the friendship between the two countries continues to grow stronger and more comprehensive.

For his part, Lam stressed that Vietnamese youth always hold in their hearts the immortal words of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its blood!”, a powerful expression of the brotherhood and special friendship between the two nations.

Delegates shared experiences and discussed ways to enhance the role of youth in national development, both now and in the future. Topics on innovating youth union activities, the pioneering role of young people in digital transformation, and measures to foster youth solidarity, were also put on table.

Both sides affirmed the brotherhood and solidarity between the youth and people of the two countries, expressing their commitment to continuously striving to ensure that this exemplary relationship is passed down from one generation to the next.

Earlier, the Cuba-Vietnam friendship festival honoured the enduring solidarity and steadfast friendship between the two nations, featuring art performances by Vietnamese youth studying in Cuba and Cuban students.

At the event, Lam presented 65 paintings by Vietnamese children to a representative of the UJC on the occasion of the 65th founding anniversary of Vietnam–Cuba diplomatic ties.

During their stay, the Vietnamese delegation met with head of the Economic – Productive Department of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee Jorge Luis Broche Lorenzo; visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba; and laid flowers at the Ho Chi Minh Park in Havana.

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The UNODC has affirmed that it will closely cooperate with Vietnam to successfully organise the signing ceremony for the UN Anti-cybercrime Convention (also known as the Hanoi Convention) and to encourage countries to ratify it.

Ghada Fathi Waly, United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has affirmed that the agency will closely cooperate with Vietnam to successfully organise the signing ceremony for the UN Anti-cybercrime Convention (also known as the Hanoi Convention) and to encourage countries to ratify it.

Waly made the statement during a meeting on April 16 with Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN and international organisations in Vienna, Austria, to discuss preparations for the signing ceremony, which is set to take place in October in Hanoi.

During the meeting, Ambassador Hoang said that Vietnam’s relevant authorities, both at home and abroad, are urgently coordinating with UN agencies to thoroughly prepare this important global event. He expressed appreciation and gratitude to the UN, particularly the UNODC, for its support and partnership with Vietnam in preparing the signing ceremony. Both Vietnam and the UN hope that the signing will attract significant interest and participation from high-level representatives of UN member states.

After five years of negotiations, the Convention is the first international legal framework with a global scope concerning anti-cybercrime, approved by UN member states. This reflects the strong commitment of the international community to jointly respond to transnational organised crime, particularly the rapidly evolving and complex cybercrime that poses threats to global security.

Hoang invited Waly to arrange meetings with Vietnamese authorities responsible for crime prevention, and to consider signing and implementing subsequent cooperation projects between Vietnam and the UNODC when she is in Hanoi for the signing ceremony.

The outcomes of Waly’s visit to Vietnam will contribute to strengthening cooperation between the two sides and promote Vietnam’s contributions to the international community’s efforts to combat crime.

Waly highly valued Vietnam’s responsible contributions throughout the process of drafting the Hanoi Convention and recognised Vietnam’s preparations for the signing ceremony. She said the UNODC believes in the success of the signing, marking an important milestone and demonstrating Vietnam’s strong commitment to combating crime.

The UN official also expressed her hope that after the signing, Vietnam will continue to work closely with the UN in general and the UNODC in particular to promote the ratification and effective implementation of the convention in the international community.

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The Vietnamese delegation actively engaged in meetings, discussions, and consultations with representatives from other countries, contributed to drafting the content of documents, co-sponsored numerous initiatives in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation, and co-authored a joint speech supported by 65 countries.

The 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) concluded in Geneva on April 4, marking Vietnam’s active participation and substantive contributions.

After six weeks of sitting, 32 resolutions were adopted, and the procedures for the adoption of the fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Reviews (UPRs) of 13 countries were completed.

Within the framework of the session, Vietnam led the drafting and presentation of a joint speech on promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve gender equality, which received support from many countries. The speech emphasised the importance of fully and swiftly advancing the SDGs to achieve gender equality, highlighting priorities such as enhancing the participation of women and girls in decision-making processes, promoting their leadership in science and technology, ensuring equal participation in peace and security processes, and strengthening capacity and increasing budget to mainstream gender in policymaking.

The Vietnamese delegation actively engaged in meetings, discussions, and consultations with representatives from other countries, contributed to drafting the content of documents, co-sponsored numerous initiatives in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation, and co-authored a joint speech supported by 65 countries.

These activities demonstrated Vietnam’s consistent stance, policies, and achievements in promoting and protecting human rights, while working with other countries to ensure that the operations of the UNHRC align with the fundamental principles of international law.

The Vietnamese delegation also delivered speeches at various sessions and discussions on several topics, such as realising labour rights and the right to social security in the informal economy, children’s rights, responses to HIV and ensuring no one is left behind, cultural rights, the right to food, the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the issue of Palestine and the occupied Arab territories.

In these statements, the Vietnamese delegation highlighted the country’s consistent policy of promoting and protecting human rights for all citizens; shared measures it has taken to safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups; and emphasised the need to address political divides and differences by fostering cooperation and building trust through dialogue, in accordance with the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter.

Along with other ASEAN countries, the Vietnamese delegation also delivered several joint speeches on issues of shared concerns by ASEAN nations, including technical cooperation and capacity building.

The active participation of the Vietnamese delegation at the 58th session has reflected the country’s efforts and sense of responsibility in its first session of the final year serving as a council member for the 2023–2025 term. It also lays an important foundation for its bid to run for the membership for the 2026–2028 term.

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Vietnam is committed to ensuring that the upcoming signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi will serve as a meaningful forum to promote the implementation of the convention and strengthen global cooperation in combating cybercrime.

Vietnam, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), organised a seminar in Vienna on March 26 on the upcoming signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi, during which participants praised the country’s efforts in preparing for this event.

Although the seminar was specifically dedicated for European delegates, it attracted significant attention and participation of representatives from countries in other regions as well as several international organisations.

Vietnam’s inter-agency delegation, including Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN and international organisations in Vienna, along with representatives from the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided updates on the preparations for the signing ceremony to be held later this year.

Vietnam is committed to ensuring that the event will serve as a meaningful forum to promote the implementation of the convention and strengthen global cooperation in combating cybercrime.

The Vietnamese delegation thanked all countries that supported Hanoi as the chosen location for the signing, and affirmed that Vietnam will continue to work closely with the UNODC, the UN Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), and member countries to promote the early entry into force of the Hanoi Convention and ensure its effective implementation in the coming time.

The Vietnamese delegation assessed that over the past decades, Europe has always been at the forefront of building a legal framework to combat cybercrime. The Budapest Convention, adopted by the European Council in 2001, laid the foundation for global thinking on the issue. This was the first international legal document to criminalise cybercrime and enhance international cooperation. However, the increasingly sophisticated nature of this type of crime is directly threatening critical infrastructure, government systems and the lives of people across Europe and around the world, creating an urgent need for comprehensive and universal frameworks to supplement existing ones.

The new UN Convention has met that need by providing a comprehensive platform for cooperation, harmonising procedures and sharing electronic evidence under the auspices of the UN. Vietnam believes that it does not compete with but rather complements existing frameworks, including the Budapest Convention. This new convention expands the scope of international cooperation and reflects a shared concern for ensuring a safe, secure, and rule-compliant cyberspace.

Agreeing with the Vietnamese delegation, representatives of the UNODC and the European Union Delegation to the UN in Vienna affirmed that they will continue to accompany and cooperate with Vietnam. Representatives of many European countries and some other regional groups appreciated the country’s active preparations for the signing ceremony, affirming that they will strive to soon complete internal procedures to participate in the ceremony in Hanoi and soon ratify the convention. They also committed to supporting and closely coordinating with Vietnam to successfully organise the ceremony.

In addition, the seminar also raised awareness of the complexity of cybercrime and highlighted the UNODC’s efforts to coordinate with other international organisations such as the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to support UN member states in their efforts to prevent cybercrime, through international cooperation.

The Hanoi Convention, comprising nine chapters and 71 articles, was officially adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 24, 2024.

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The diplomat underscored the significance and importance of the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1325 on WPS, adopted in 2000, and its related resolutions. He stressed the need to ensure women’s participation and gender incorporation in every stage of the peace process.

Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, Director of the ASEAN Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Vietnam’s unwavering commitment to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda and its resolve to effectively implement the National Action Plan on WPS for 2024-2030 while actively contributing to regional and global initiatives.

Binh delivered the commitment at the second ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on WPS organised in both in-person and online formats in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25 by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, along with Australia and Canada.

The diplomat underscored the significance and importance of the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1325 on WPS, adopted in 2000, and its related resolutions. He stressed the need to ensure women’s participation and gender incorporation in every stage of the peace process.

As the world is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325, the workshop served as a platform for ARF members to reflect on achievements, identify persistent challenges, and explore concrete measures to accelerate progress.

Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality Stephanie Copus Campbell and Canadian Ambassador for WPS Jacqueline O’Neil reaffirmed the importance of Resolution 1325 and related resolutions. While acknowledging results, they pointed out ongoing challenges and stressed the urgency of greater international collaboration to ensure the effective implementation of this important agenda.

Discussions at the event also addressed the impact of rising global conflicts, with participants voicing concerns over escalating violence disproportionately affecting women and girls.

Delegates welcomed national and regional WPS action plans, including that of ASEAN, and agreed that Resolution 1325 has reshaped global perceptions of women’s roles in peace and security. They noted that integrating gender perspectives enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of peace processes.

Participants also heard stories of female peacekeepers, including Captain Sa Minh Ngoc from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, who shared unique challenges faced by women in UN peacekeeping missions.

Looking ahead, participants emphasised the need for sustained funding, stronger inter-sectoral coordination, and innovative solutions, such as leveraging emerging technologies, to enhance the implementation of WPS commitments.

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United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Elinor Hammarskjöld expressed her appreciation of Vietnam’s role and proactive, practical contributions to the UN’s legal forums while receiving Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, in New York on March 26.

At the meeting to discuss the sides’ cooperation and shared priorities, following Hammarskjöld’s appointment, Ambassador Giang highly valued the close collaboration with and support provided for Vietnam by the UN Office of Legal Affairs, including technical assistance and capacity-building programmes for Vietnamese legal professionals across various ministries and sectors.

He talked about Vietnam’s engagement in key UN legal bodies such as the International Law Commission (ILC), the Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the International Seabed Authority’s Legal and Technical Commission (LTC).

The Southeast Asian nation has also been actively involved in negotiations on landmark legal frameworks, including the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) and the UN Convention against Cybercrime.

The diplomat affirmed Vietnam’s consistent stance of upholding international law and pledged continued cooperation with the office and other member states to enhance the effectiveness of legal mechanisms, promote legal codification, and advance the development of international law within the UN framework.

Hammarskjöld expressed her hope that Vietnam would continue to play a significant role and collaborate closely with the office and other UN bodies in ongoing reform efforts, as well as in improving the effectiveness of the UN system and further upholding the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law, contributing to strengthening the rule of law for peace, stability, and sustainable development across the globe.

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The United Nations Secretary-General has officially announced that Vietnam has successfully completed the deposit of a chart and geographical coordinates establishing the baseline for measuring its territorial sea in the Gulf of Tonkin.

According to the UN Secretary-General’s announcement to member states dated March 12, 2025, Vietnam formally submitted these materials on March 7, 2025. The submission was made in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 2 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The deposited materials include a chart showing straight baselines and outer limits of the territorial sea, along with a comprehensive list of geographic coordinates of points for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea of Vietnam’s mainland territory in the Gulf of Tonkin.

On March 14, detailed information regarding Vietnam’s submission was published on the official UN website at www.un.org/Depts/los.

The UN announcement further indicated that the Vietnamese Government’s February 21, 2025 statement concerning the baselines for measuring territorial sea breadth in the Gulf of Tonkin will be included in the forthcoming issue of the UN’s “Law of the Sea Bulletin.”

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Sharing Vietnam’s achievements, Thanh noted that women account for nearly one-third of Vietnam’s National Assembly members; 40% of Vietnam’s STEM workforce is female; 26.5% of businesses in the country are owned by women; women account for 68.5% of the country’s labour force, surpassing the global average of 48.7% and 14.4% of Vietnam’s peacekeepers are women, higher than the UN average of 10.2%.

Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Thanh outlined three key priorities for advancing gender equality in her keynote speech at the general debate of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on March 11.

She emphasised the need to refine institutional, legal, and policy frameworks to ensure equal participation of women, particularly in decision-making across all sectors.

Thanh also highlighted the importance of enhancing women’s economic empowerment by fostering public-private partnerships to mobilise resources effectively. This would enable women to access financial services, markets, and entrepreneurship opportunities, expand their roles in the digital and green economy, and ensure equal participation in the labour market. She further emphasised the need to recognise, reduce, and redistribute unpaid domestic and caregiving work, along with promoting the care economy.

Another priority is promoting women’s leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), digital transformation, and innovation. Thanh called for greater encouragement, support, and career guidance for women and girls, particularly in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and digital economy.

Thanh reaffirmed the significance of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the international community’s achievements over the past 30 years. However, she also highlighted ongoing challenges, including gender-based violence, poverty, diseases, and digital divide, which continue to disproportionately affect women and girls. She cited projections indicating that it could take 137 years to eradicate extreme poverty among women and that gender balance in national parliaments might not be achieved before 2063.

Sharing Vietnam’s achievements, Thanh noted that women account for nearly one-third of Vietnam’s National Assembly members; 40% of Vietnam’s STEM workforce is female; 26.5% of businesses in the country are owned by women; women account for 68.5% of the country’s labour force, surpassing the global average of 48.7% and 14.4% of Vietnam’s peacekeepers are women, higher than the UN average of 10.2%.

Additionally, Vietnam is actively promoting digital knowledge programmes, particularly for women and girls. Thanh reaffirmed the country’s commitment to global gender equality efforts, including its role as a member of the UN Human Rights Council (2023-2025) and an incoming member of the UN Women Executive Board (2025-2027).

Established in 1946, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) provides recommendations for advancing women’s rights in economic, social, political, and educational fields. It also monitors the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, offering policy guidance on emerging gender-related issues.

This year’s 69th CSW session brought together representatives from nearly 200 UN member states and observers, dozens of international organisations, and more than 200 non-governmental organisations. The session focused on reviewing three decades of progress since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned about persistent gender biases, violence, and discrimination – both in armed conflicts and online spaces – as well as economic inequality and declining international funding for gender equality initiatives.

Guterres reaffirmed that gender equality is a fundamental human right, calling for greater investment in women and girls, expanded access to quality education, fair labour markets, and elimination of unpaid labour disparities. He also urged the global community to combat gender-based violence and discrimination, including online harassment, and ensure women’s participation in peacebuilding, decision-making, and emerging industries.

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As an active member in implementing the CRPD, Vietnam hopes to receive technical support from the committee and development partners to further promote inclusive development for persons with disabilities, improve policies and legal frameworks, and build capacity for personnel in this field, said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi.

The Vietnamese delegation’s two-day session for defending reports on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the UN headquarters in Geneva ended on March 7.

Sharing the outcomes of the session, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi said that the Vietnamese delegation received over 30 comments from members of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and national working group members.

This demonstrates that Vietnam has achieved significant progress after 10 years of ratifying and implementing the CRPD across all fields, including institution and policy development, the issuance of action programmes and initiatives to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs) as stipulated by the convention.

According to the official, through the comments and feedback from the committee, the delegation has gained valuable insights, recognising both the achievements and challenges that Vietnam needs to address in the coming period, thereby helping it review and assess the implementation of the convention, as well as relevant laws, policies, programmes, and initiatives supporting this vulnerable group, and developing new ones for the 2026-2030 period.

The objective and constructive assessments, along with feasible recommendations from the committee, serve as a valuable reference and a key motivation for Vietnam to continue fulfilling its steadfast commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of PwDs.

After this session, as an active member in implementing the CRPD, Vietnam hopes to receive technical support from the committee and development partners to further promote inclusive development for persons with disabilities, improve policies and legal frameworks, and build capacity for personnel in this field, said Hoi.

The official also called on the UN, other countries, and development partners to support technology transfer, helping this group access advancements in health care, education, transportation, sports, culture, information technology (IT), and AI, while addressing challenges from global issues such as climate change, migration, and digital transformation.

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Vietnam was among the first countries to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on September 22, 2017, and later became the 10th country to ratify the agreement on May 17, 2018. By signing and ratifying the treaty early, Vietnam reaffirmed its unwavering policy of promoting peace and supporting nuclear disarmament worldwide

Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang affirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons at the third meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in New York from March 3-7 (local time).

In his speech, Giang said amid the complex and unpredictable geopolitical landscape, nuclear deterrence remains a pressing concern, necessitating united action to avert potential nuclear catastrophes.

He called on nations to prioritise the ratification and accession to the TPNW to boost its universality, fully deliver on nuclear disarmament commitments, attach importance to nuclear-weapon-free zones, continue reinforcing multilateralism in disarmament efforts.

Nuclear-armed states must lead the way in adopting verifiable, irreversible, and legally binding measures to eliminate nuclear weapons, he asserted.

On the occasion, Giang reaffirmed the right of nations to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with international law.

As a signatory to key non-proliferation and disarmament treaties, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), and one of the first ten countries to ratify the TPNW, Vietnam stays committed to working with the international community toward a world free of nuclear weapons, for the sake of peace, security and sustainable development, he added.

The event brought together representatives from 94 signatory and ratifying countries, observer states, and over 100 international organisations, all united in their dedication to nuclear disarmament.

The TPNW, adopted in July 2017 and enforced on January 22, 2021, is the first international treaty to comprehensively ban the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use, and threat of use of nuclear weapons.

Vietnam played an active role in the TPNW negotiations and was among the first countries to sign the treaty on September 22, 2017. It later became the 10th country to ratify the agreement on May 17, 2018. By signing and ratifying the treaty early, Vietnam reaffirmed its unwavering policy of promoting peace and supporting nuclear disarmament worldwide.

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