Vietnam represents ASEAN in committing to jointly protecting civilians in armed conflicts

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations, reiterated the commitments of ASEAN countries on the protection of civilians during armed conflicts in a speech on behalf of ASEAN countries at the open debate of the UN Security Council in New York on May 23.

According to Quy, ASEAN nations affirm that governments of countries have the leading responsibility in the protection of civilians during armed conflict and that this task must be carried out in accordance with the UN Charter and with respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of the host countries.

ASEAN welcomes the assignment of some peacekeeping missions to protect civilians and believes that the most effective protection measure is preventing conflict, building peace, and conducting preventive diplomacy work, he said.

Countries in the bloc shared regional experience in preventive diplomacy and appealed for stronger cooperation between ASEAN and the UN in experience sharing and training for participating in UN peacekeeping activities, he added.

The ambassador shared that as a country that has battled in many wars for national independence and sovereignty, Vietnam sympathises with the pains of civilians in armed conflicts.

He called upon conflicting parties to abide by international humanitarian laws and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, and emphasised that UN peacekeeping missions should meet specific characteristics of their locations, as well as the importance of the participation of locals in this process to enhance their capacity in self-protection and prevent the escalation of conflicts.

Ambassador Quy affirmed Vietnam’s commitments to contribute to the international efforts, including the participation in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Vietnam attaches great importance to training on international humanitarian law and adopts a no tolerance policy for sexual abuse in peacekeeping activities, he stressed.

The open debate saw the participation of nearly 80 UN member countries, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and some regional organisations.

Countries stressed the need to increase multilateral cooperation between the UN and regional organisations while continuously integrating civilian protection issues into other activities of the UN on disarmament, human right protection, and sustainable development.

Many opinions emphasised the significance of enhancing the training capacity for peacekeeping soldiers, increasing coordination with local communities, and promoting the role of women and youths in the field.