The visit from October 24 to 25 was made at the invitation of President Luong Cuong.
During his stay in Viet Nam, Secretary-General Guterres paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the late leader's mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs on Bac Son street.
He was received by Party General Secretary To Lam, and attended an official welcome ceremony, talks, and state banquet hosted by President Luong Cuong. He also met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.
The Vietnamese leaders warmly welcomed the Secretary-General on his second official visit to Viet Nam and attendance at the signing ceremony of the Ha Noi Convention, which coincided with the 80th anniversary of the UN and Viet Nam’s National Day. They emphasised that the visit held special significance, reflecting the parallel development of Viet Nam and the UN over the past decades.
Expressing his joy and deep affection for Viet Nam, Secretary-General Guterres said he greatly admires Viet Nam’s struggles for independence and reunification, as well as its impressive socio-economic progress and double-digit growth target for the coming years.
The UN Secretary-General praised Viet Nam’s role, stature, prestige, as well as active and prominent contributions to the UN's common work in all the pillar areas, particularly its hosting of the Ha Noi Convention signing ceremony and active participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
He affirmed that the UN will continue to accompany and support Viet Nam in advancing its development priorities. He expressed his hope that the country will further promote its voice and role within the UN, helping to shape a multipolar world in which multilateralism and global governance mechanisms function more efficiently, and the deserving role of developing countries and emerging economies receive greater recognition.
On the morning of October 25, Secretary-General Guterres attended the signing ceremony and high-level conference of the UN Convention against Cybercrime, held at the National Convention Centre.
President Cuong and Secretary-General Guterres delivered the opening remarks at the ceremony. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the UN chief later held a joint press conference to brief the media on the event’s outcomes.
The high-level session of the signing ceremony brought together the UN Secretary-General, leaders of Viet Nam, senior officials from more than 110 countries, and representatives of numerous international and regional organisations.
