The international consultation workshop on the draftvoluntary mid-term report on the implementation of UPR third cyclerecommendations was jointly held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and theUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
In his opening remarks, Do Viet Hung, Assistant to theForeign Minister, said this is the first time Vietnam has devised such voluntarymid-term report to be sent to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Through the report, Vietnam has demonstrated itsresponsibility, transparency and seriousness towards the UPR mechanism inparticular and the implementation of international commitments on human rightsin general, especially in the context of Vietnam running for a seat at the UNHRCfor 2023-2025.
He pointed out difficulties to human rights protectionand promotion in Vientam over the past two years such as climate change,natural disasters and COVID-19.
The report is expected to give delegates insight intoVietnam’s consistent commitments and efforts to further stabilise, recover and spursocio-economic activities, and realise UPR recommendations on human rights, particularlyvulnerable groups amid COVID-19.
This mid-term report is a basis for Vietnam toassess the implementation of the approved recommendations, learn lessons andprepare for the construction of the National Report for the UPR cycle IVexpected in 2024.
UN Acting Resident Coordinator Kidong Park and UNDPResident Representative a.i. in Vietnam Terence D. Jones lauded Vietnam’scommitments and efforts in human rights protection and promotion, including theimplementation of UPR third cycle recommendations and the building of the voluntarythe mid-term report.
The delegates contributed specific opinions on the document,which is set to be sent to the 49th session of the UNHRC in March2022.
According to the draft mid-term report on theimplementation of the recommendations accepted at the 3rd UPR cycle, Vietnamhas accepted 241/291 recommendations (about 83 percent) at the adoption sessionof the UPR 3rd Cycle Report at the United Nations Human Rights Council (July2019).
On December 31, 2019, the Prime Minister of Vietnamapproved the Master Plan to implement the accepted recommendations in DecisionNo. 1975/QD-TTg, which directed the development and submission of the Mid-termReport on the implementation of the UPR 3rd cycle recommendations.
To date, Vietnam has implemented 199/241recommendations; of which 32/241 recommendations are ongoing or have beenpartially implemented and 10/241 recommendations will be consideredforimplementation at suitable time.
Vietnam will continue to implement the accepted UPRcycle III recommendations on the basis of the Master Plan for Implementation ofthe Recommendations approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1975/QD-TTgin 2019.
In the coming time, Vietnam wishes and is willing toshare information and experiences to strengthen international cooperation,improve capacity in developing the National Report and implementing approvedUPR recommendations./.