WIPO chairmanship reflects Vietnam’s growing stature

Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, was elected as Chairman of the WIPO General Assembly for 2018-2019, by representatives of all of the 191 WIPO member countries at the General Assembly’s 49th session.

His election was the outcome of strong contributions made by the Vietnamese mission and the ambassador himself to the WIPO’s work.

Ambassador Dung was the Asia-Pacific candidate, which has not had a representative serve as Chairperson of the WIPO General Assembly for more than a decade.

Vietnam’s candidacy for the position aimed to continue the implementation of the country’s multilateral foreign policy towards being a responsible and proactive member with practical contributions to international organisations and forums.

The election win marked a new stride in the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and integration into the world, for peace, development and social progress.

The WIPO, founded in 1967, is one of the 16 specialised UN agencies.

The organisation and the world’s intellectual property (IP) system are forecast to face various challenges in the next two years. The rapid development of science-technology, globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution will greatly influence the IP management and policies, including the building of international standards in order to meet new IP protection requirements.

Vietnam became a member of the United Nations on September 20, 1977, heralding a new era for the country’s multilateral diplomacy, which has substantially aided the country's development.

Aside from the WIPO, Vietnam has also contributed to organisations within the UN framework in general. It successfully fulfilled its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2008-2009. It was elected as Vice President of the UN General Assembly in 1997, 2000 and 2003, and President of the 33rd UN Food and Agriculture Organisation General Assembly in 2005.

The country has also worked as a member of other UN agencies, such as the Human Rights Council in 2014-2016, the Economic and Social Council in 2016-2018, and the Executive Board of the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2015-2019.

It is now campaigning for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

Vietnam’s participation in UN activities has helped to raise its international standing and protect the country’s interests, particularly in terms of security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, through the principles of respecting all of the countries’ independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, whilst peacefully resolving disputes, and ensuring the legitimate interests of all member countries.