As a middle-income country, Vietnam has a vested interest in reshaping global financial structures to ensure access to affordable financing for sustainable development, said Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, ahead of the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79). 

A view of the flags outside the UN Headquarters. Source: UN

The Summit of the Future – the UNGA 79, is a pivotal moment in global cooperation as “we are facing challenges that our current international systems – designed decades ago – are simply not equipped to handle. From climate change and widening inequality to the rapid development of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI),” Pauline Tamesis stated.

The Summit of the Future, to be held on September 22-23, will bring together world leaders at UN Headquarters in New York to address the critical challenges and gaps in global governance exposed by recent global shocks.

To Lam will attend the Summit of the Future, the UNGA 79, work in the United States, and pay an official visit to Cuba during his trip from September 21 to 27.

Tamesis said Vietnam, therefore, “adds its voice and leadership to the critical discussions on climate change – a timely reminder of a developing country’s vulnerability to climate change, especially soon after Typhon Yagi caused immense damage to its most vulnerable populations,” Pauline Tamesis told the World & Vietnam Report. 

Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam. Source: UN Vietnam

Vietnam can push for reforms that prioritize the needs of developing countries and help shape more inclusive and responsive international institutions.

The Summit also provides a platform for Vietnam to engage with global leaders and ensure that its perspectives and challenges are taken into account in the pursuit of a more equitable and sustainable future. This is a crucial opportunity for Vietnam to take a leading role and contribute to global discussions and follow-up actions, Tamesis noted.

It’s seen in To Lam’s pre-recorded remarks for the Summit of the Future, in which he recognized that the “historic summit will bring about new thinking and new modus operandi for the world’s future.”

He also highlighted the role of ASEAN, saying that the “establishment of a global green technology platform where ASEAN and other regional organizations can share their experiences and promote green technology development.”

To Lam’s first multilateral diplomatic activity 

General Secretary and President To Lam. Photo: VNA

The trip to the US and Cuba marks To Lam’s first multilateral diplomatic activity in his new position, said Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister.

At the United Nations, To Lam will deliver key messages that strongly support multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role in global peace, cooperation, and development.

This occasion also serves as an opportunity for Vietnam to reaffirm its independent, self-reliant foreign policy, focusing on diversifying and expanding international relations while positioning itself as a reliable friend, partner, and responsible member of the international community.

To Lam’s trip to the US coincides with the first anniversary of the upgrading of the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and works towards the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025.

This is a significant opportunity for both sides to review the achievements brought about by the new framework for relations and to discuss major directions and measures to sustain the positive, stable, and substantial development of relations in the coming years.

Both nations will continue adhering to the fundamental principles of their relationship, which include “respect for the UN Charter, international law, and each other’s political systems, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”

They will strengthen political trust and strategic confidence, ensuring the aspirations of their people and making greater contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region and the world.

The Deputy PM said To Lam will hold important bilateral meetings with US leaders and attend and speak at an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the first anniversary of the upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He will also participate in discussions and engagements with US officials, business leaders, experts, and leading academics.

Regarding Vietnam-US relations, after one year of implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, cooperation between the two countries has achieved positive results in several areas, including:

Engagement and exchange activities have been vibrant across all channels and levels with new annual dialogue frameworks such as the Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, the Economic Dialogue, and the Security and Law Enforcement Dialogue, further fleshing out the commitments made in the 2023 Joint Statement.

Economic, trade, and investment cooperation remains a key driver of bilateral relations. In the first eight months of 2024, bilateral trade rose 22% to US$88 billion. Many major companies from both countries are expanding their investments in each other’s markets.

At the same time, they have focused on security and defense cooperation with post-war recovery efforts, which remain a priority and a key pillar of bilateral relations, achieving substantial results. Cooperation in security and law enforcement has also been increasingly strengthened.

Meanwhile, the two sides continue to coordinate at important multilateral mechanisms and forums, as well as engage in practical cooperation to address global challenges.

Moreover, regarding areas of difference, both sides will continue to enhance dialogue on areas of disagreement in an open and constructive spirit while taking into account each other’s legitimate interests, the Deputy PM stressed.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang told a press briefing on September 19 that the special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba is a valuable asset highly valued by the Parties, States, and peoples of both nations.

The Vietnam-Cuba Intergovernmental Committee is coordinating key areas of cooperation, including rice supply, food production development, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. Vietnam is Cuba’s second-largest Asian trading partner and the largest Asian investor in Cuba. The two countries actively support each other in international forums, especially the UN.

In Cuba, he will hold talks with the First Secretary and President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel; meet with the President of the National Assembly of People’s Power, Esteban Lazo Hernández and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz; pay a courtesy call on General Raúl Castro Ruz; and participate in other activities.

During the press briefing, when asked whether To Lam has a working program with US President Joe Biden during his trip to New York, the spokesperson said that his schedule will be announced later.