At the first plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process on UNSC reform within the framework of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Viet Nam made the statement at a discussion that launched this year’s series of negotiations on one of the UN’s most critical, complex and long-standing reform agendas.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Kuwait and the Netherlands to the UN, with broad participation from UN member states. It marked the start of in-depth discussions in 2026 on UNSC reform, a key pillar of overall UN reform.
At the meeting, many countries and groups underscored the necessity of reforming the UNSC to better reflect current geopolitical realities. Delegates exchanged diverse views on the scope of reform, the expansion of membership categories, working methods, the use of the veto, as well as negotiation pathways and timelines.
Addressing the meeting, Minister-Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Viet Nam to the UN, reaffirmed Viet Nam’s strong commitment to multilateralism and to the UN’s central role in maintaining international peace and security. He stressed that UNSC reform is an urgent requirement to improve the Council’s democracy, representativeness, transparency and effectiveness.
Viet Nam continues to support the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership of the UNSC, based on ensuring equitable geographical representation and enhancing the voice and participation of developing countries, he said.
Regarding working methods, Viet Nam highlighted the need to improve the UNSC’s transparency, inclusiveness and effectiveness. This includes strengthening substantive exchanges between the council and UN member states, and enhancing the quality of interaction between the UNSC and the General Assembly. Permanent members, he noted, should exercise restraint and use the veto cautiously, in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
On the IGN process, Viet Nam expressed hope that discussions in 2026 will help narrow differences on an overall reform model, creating a foundation for substantive negotiations in the time ahead. Viet Nam reaffirmed that it will continue to engage in the IGN process with a constructive, responsible and cooperative spirit, and stands ready to make active contributions to joint efforts to advance UNSC reform towards concrete outcomes that meet the demands of the new situation and the legitimate interests of all UN member states.
