During a meeting with General Secretary and President To Lam, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his special affection for Vietnam and praised its growing role and position in the international community.
General Secretary and President To Lam met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York, where he emphasized the increasingly important role of the United Nations in global governance, fostering multilateral cooperation, and upholding international law.
Mr. To Lam also expressed his gratitude for the UN’s support during the recent Typhoon Yagi disaster and urged the organization to enhance collaboration in strengthening disaster resilience and response capabilities in vulnerable nations.
In the meeting, Mr. To Lam encouraged the UN Secretary-General to prioritize cooperation in energy transition, green transformation, and digital governance, ensuring that the interests of developing countries, including Vietnam, are considered.
As someone who had previously protested in support of Vietnam during its resistance war, Secretary-General Guterres shared his deep affection for the country. He praised Vietnam’s active and positive contributions to key UN agencies and activities, particularly in peacekeeping, sustainable development, and climate change initiatives.
Both sides agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, aiming to further enhance Vietnam-UN relations, as well as ASEAN-UN cooperation. They also discussed joint efforts to promote sustainable development, advance the 2030 Agenda, and improve global responses to emerging challenges.
During his meeting with Philemon Yang, President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, General Secretary and President To Lam praised the theme of this year’s session, which focused on cooperation for peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for current and future generations.
Vietnam reaffirmed its strong commitment to multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role in global governance, and emphasized the importance of the UN General Assembly as the principal body representing all member states.
Mr. To Lam also highlighted Vietnam’s willingness to foster tripartite agricultural cooperation, with Vietnam providing expertise, technology, and seeds to developing nations like Cameroon, where Philemon Yang once served as Prime Minister.
In response, President Yang acknowledged Vietnam’s growing influence and pledged to work closely with the country to promote adherence to the UN Charter, international law, and multilateralism. He also recognized Vietnam’s strengths in science, technology, and agriculture and committed to facilitating cooperation between Vietnam and Cameroon.
Additionally, General Secretary and President To Lam held meetings with UN Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Achim Steiner and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
In his meeting with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Mr. To Lam praised the IMF’s crucial role in monitoring macroeconomic stability, advising nations on financial policies, and supporting sustainable and balanced economic growth.
He highlighted Vietnam’s impressive economic progress, rising from a struggling economy to being among the world’s top 40 largest economies. He called for continued IMF support in realizing Vietnam’s vision for economic restructuring, digital and green transformation, and technological advancement.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva reaffirmed that Vietnam and ASEAN are bright spots in global economic growth, especially during challenging times. She also encouraged Vietnam to share its success story with other nations, particularly in Africa, and promised continued IMF support for Vietnam's development goals.