Taking place on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN) (October 24, 1945–October 24, 2025), the visit affirms the UN’s and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s strong appreciation of relations with Viet Nam, as well as Viet Nam’s growing role, position and reputation at the United Nations and multilateral institutions.
The international situation continues to witness rapid, complex, and unpredictable changes. The international security and political environment is becoming increasingly unstable, while strategic competition among major powers is growing increasingly fierce, negatively affecting dialogue and cooperation within the UN. Meanwhile, global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, energy, food security, and epidemics continue to intertwine, posing urgent requirements for the international community to strengthen coordination and collective action.
After 80 years of formation and development, facing challenges and reform requirements to adapt to the current situation, the UN has proven to be an irreplaceable organisation, is the most important multilateral mechanism in the global governance system. Most member states attach great importance to the UN’s role and wish to increase their contributions to the UN to protect national interests and enhance its position.
In the past nearly 50 years since Viet Nam officially joined the UN (September 20, 1977), the cooperative relationship between Viet Nam and the UN has developed in a positive and effective manner. The UN has accompanied Viet Nam from the period when Viet Nam rebuilt the country and recovered after the war to proactively integrating more deepening into the international community.
Always considering cooperation with the UN as a top priority in foreign policy, Viet Nam has become an increasingly proactive, responsible, and constructive member, making substantive contributions to the UN’s the main pillars — peace and security, development cooperation, and the promotion of human rights protection.
During his tenure, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has actively proposed initiatives and measures to respond to global challenges, as well as improve the effectiveness of the UN's operations.
Known for his special affection for Viet Nam, he has consistently reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to strengthening Viet Nam–UN relations, confirming Viet Nam as one of the UN’s key partners in all fields. Viet Nam is among the few countries the UN Secretary-General has visited more than once during his term.
During this visit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend and deliver remarks at signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. On December 24, 2024, in New York (the US), the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and designated Viet Nam as host of the signing ceremony, to be held in Ha Noi from October 25 to 26.
This marks the first time Viet Nam will host an event to sign an international document of the UN, with a large scale and global influence. It reflects the international community’s high recognition of Viet Nam’s efforts and commitment to promoting multilateral cooperation, upholding the roles and values of the UN Charter and international law, actively contributing to the UN’s common work, and participating in solving global problems.
In welcoming UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on his official visit and hosting the signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime, Viet Nam continues to implement its consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, while proactively and actively engaging in international integration in a comprehensive, extensive and effective manner.
Achieving many achievements in development, innovation and international integration in recent times, Viet Nam affirms that the UN always holds an important position in foreign policy, while emphasising continued efforts to promote the Viet Nam-UN cooperation relationship more extensively and effectively.
Viet Nam highly values the UN’s valuable and substantive support over the years and looks forward to continued assistance from the UN and the international community in its socio-economic development cause, the process of arranging and streamlining the apparatus, and a number of issues related to the security and development of Viet Nam, in accordance with the principles and operational orientations of the UN.
Taking place at a historic moment when the UN celebrates its 80th anniversary and Viet Nam celebrates its 80th National Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ official visit to Viet Nam and his attendance at signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime not only has a profound symbolic significance, but also reflects the parallel development journey of the UN and Viet Nam, sharing core values as well as principles that continue to shape the future.
By hosting the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, Viet Nam reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism, international law, and the central role of the UN. It also highlights Viet Nam’s responsible membership and strong determination to further contribute to key priorities and activities of the UN and the international community for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
