Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on October 22 for visiting United NationsSecretary-General António Guterres.

PM Chinh thanked the UN for standing side byside with Vietnam in every development stage. During the difficult period ofCOVID-19 in particular, the UN’s support helped Vietnam drive back thepandemic.

According to him, Vietnam promptly switchedto safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic for economy re-opening and socio-economic recovery and development, with positiveresults recorded so far.

As Vietnam still faces difficulties andchallenges in fulfilling the ꦉUN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), responding to climatechange, and ensuring energy and food security, he expressed hope to receive the UN’sfurther assistance toward three strategic breakthroughs, namely perfectinginstitutions, developing human resources, especially high-qualityones, and building a synchronous and modern infrastructure, both economicallyand socially, to achieve the goal of becoming an industrialised and high-incomecountry by 2045.

Speaking highly of Vietnam's role and voice on the international arena, the UN Secretary-General committed his full support formain pillars of Vietnam's development policy.

He expressed his impression and admirationfor Vietnam's steadfastness in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its post-pandemiceconomic achievements, especially safe and flexible adaptation to and effectivecontrol of the pandemic, maintenance ofmacroeconomic stability, socio-economic recovery and development.

The guest hailed Vietnam as one of thepioneering countries in the fight against social inequality and climate changeresponse, as well as its achievements in ensuring human rights. 

The Vietnamese PM emphasised a need for a global, all-people and comprehensive approach in dealing with current common challenges facing the world.

He said he supports the central role of the UN as well as the Secretary-General’s initiatives and ef🅺forts, affirming that Vietnam is ready to do its best for the UN’s common works in all pillars.

Guterres Guterres affirmed that the UN and he himself will continue to pay attention to and support Vietnam's development priorities and offers the nation policy advice on a green, sustainable and resilient post-pandemic recovery.

The UN Secretary-General wished the two sides to closely cooperate to ensure food and energy security, fight climate change, promote human rights, and develop digital technology, among others.

On the occasion, the host and guest shared concerns about the pandemic’s negative impacts, climate change,ꦐ food and energy security, and inflation. They emphasised the need for countries worldwide to join hands in addressing such challenges.

The leaders also agreed to step up collaboration between ASEAN and the UN, highly value ASEAN’s role, and make efforts to maintain peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, and peacefully settle disputes on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.