Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh chaired an open debate at the UN headquarters in New York on January 9, 2020 as Vietnam holds the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has informed. 

Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh chairs the debate on Jan 9. Photo: News.cn

The ministerial-level open debate themed “Maintenance of international peace and security upholding the UN Charter” is an opportunity for member states to reaffirm their commitment to uphold the Charter principles, particularly in the context of international peace and security.

Meanwhile, Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang of the MOFA said in a press conference Thursday that Pham Binh Minh will hold bilateral meetings with some heads of mission at the UN headquarters on January 9-10.

In preparation for the debate, Vietnam has circulated a concept note to help guide the discussion, according to the Security Council Report.

The concept note emphasizes that the UN Charter helped the international community make significant strides in achieving progress towards international peace and security. It acknowledges that the UNSC – which has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security under the Charter – has often experienced difficulties responding to crises swiftly and effectively.

The UN Security open debate. Photo: News.cn

To encourage dialogue about how the Council may best respond to threats to international peace and security, the concept note asks the participants to (i) discuss during the open debate how member states in general and the Council in particular how to employ the tools provided in the Charter to uphold international peace and security; (ii) to reflect on examples of successful interventions, failures, and lessons learned by the Council; (iii) to consider how to improve collaboration between various international actors to promote adherence to the Charter, among other issues.

The draft presidential statement, which was circulated to Council members in late December 2019, reaffirms the Council’s commitment to the Charter, including its purposes and principles, and an “international order based on international law.”

Some Council members, as well as the wider membership, are likely to seize the opportunity to address recent developments, particularly the US airstrike on Iraq on January 3, which led to the death of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani.

In this context, these members may raise the obligations (under the UN Charter, its principles and original purpose) of the member states, including the UNSC’s five permanent members (P5) China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US.