30 October 2010, Ha Noi – The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, completed his first official trip to Viet Nam as head of the UN today.  During his three day stop the Secretary-General met with the Vietnamese President, Prime Minister and other senior leaders, and attended the 3rd summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN on 29 October.  Mr. Ban also visited an HIV prevention and care centre, met with UN staff and dedicated a new building at the UN International School in Ha Noi.

Following on the global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit in New York last month, Mr. Ban shared his view with leaders at the ASEAN-UN Summit that reaching the MDG targets – to slash hunger, poverty, disease and a host of other social and economic ills by 2015 – is achievable.
 
“ASEAN Member States have been among the most successful in meeting the [MDGs] on poverty, child health and education. But – as in other regions – wide disparities remain, between and within countries. ASEAN and the United Nations must work together to explore specific ways to close these development gaps,” he said.

Mr. Ban noted the strong and growing partnership between ASEAN and the UN and emphasized five priority areas of cooperation: achieving the MDGs, respecting human rights, enhancing peace and security, expanding humanitarian assistance cooperation, and strengthening dialogue.

Mr.  Ban also commended ASEAN for establishing the Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and the Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children, saying it was an important first step towards strengthening a culture of respect for human rights.  

Prior to the ASEAN-UN Summit, the Secretary-General met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, President Nguyen Minh Triet, Communist Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, and Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem. President Triet thanked the UN for its assistance and support to Viet Nam in achieving the MDGs, and expressed his gratitude for the longstanding support the UN has provided for the country’s development.  Mr. Ban thanked the Vietnamese leader for his country’s support for United Nations reform and commended the Viet Nam for its remarkable progress towards achieving the MDGs by 2015.

As part of his focus on the MDGs, the Secretary-General paid a visit to the Tu Liem District HIV Prevention and Care Treatment Centre, a “one-stop shop” providing comprehensive HIV services.  

“You are providing life-saving care and taking Viet Nam closer to the achievement of the MDGs,” said the Secretary-General after visiting patients at the centre. Mr. Ban spoke with people living with HIV who were receiving methadone for drug dependence treatment as well as antiretroviral treatment.  

    

Earlier Mr. Ban dedicated a new arts centre under construction at UNIS, the United Nations International School of Ha Noi. As one of only two UN schools in the world, students welcomed the Secretary-General with musical performances wearing traditional costumes from the 63 nationalities represented at the school.  

The Secretary-General also met with UN staff in Viet Nam where we praised their hard work, including implementing UN reform at the country level through the “One UN Initiative”, and told them to take pride in their work for the UN.

Viet Nam has played an increasing role in the UN at the global level, serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2008-2009 term, and is widely seen as a good example of progress toward achieving the MDGs, particularly poverty reduction.

The Secretary-General’s trip to Viet Nam is part of four-nation Asian tour, which included visits to Thailand and Cambodia and is concluding this week with a trip to China.

- ends-

Read also the:

• Remarks of the UN Secretary-General to the opening session at the UN-ASEAN Summit
• Remarks of the UN Secretary-General at the visit to Tu Liem District HIV Prevention Treatment and Care Centre
• Remarks of the UN Secretary-General at the public launch of "Striving Together: ASEAN and the UN"

 

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