The Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement is an important deal which brings many benefits to the people as well as the business community of Vietnam and the EU, therefore the two sides are making efforts to complete procedures for the official signing, ratification and enforcement of the agreement, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.

Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang answers questions from the media.

She made the statement at the Foreign Ministry’s regular press briefing on January 24, in reply to a question about the progress of the EVFTA.

Asked about the dialogue session on Vietnam’s national report under the third-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 22, the spokesperson said Vietnam attaches special importance to and seriously conducts the UPR, which is a successful mechanism of the HRC based on the principles of equality, dialogue and cooperation. She described the mechanism as both an obligation of a member state of the UN as well as an opportunity to introduce the country’s consistent policies, efforts and achievements in protecting human rights.

According to the spokesperson, most opinions at the dialogue session acknowledged Vietnam’s achievements and encouraged the country to continue its efforts to ensure human rights, especially in economic, social, cultural affairs, hunger elimination and poverty reduction,  and ensuring social security and the rights of vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities and ethnic minority people. The opinions also welcomed and appreciated Vietnam’s serious implementation of accepted UPR recommendations at the second cycle as well as building of the UPR report for the third cycle.

Hang said Vietnam received more than 300 recommendations from countries at the dialogue, which cover various aspects of human rights. She informed that relevant agencies of Vietnam will study carefully the recommendations and report to the Prime Minister. Vietnam will officially announce accepted recommendations at the regular session of the HRC in June this year, she said. -VNA