The inauguration ceremony also saw the presence of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and UN Resident Co-ordinator to Vietnam, Pratibha Mehta.
Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh said at the inauguration ceremony that "For the very first time all UN agencies in Vietnam will have a common home. This reflects the special collaboration between Vietnam and the UN and the valuable support of many development partners".
The house is built on the solid foundation of nearly four decades of excellent co-operation between Vietnam and the UN, and marks a milestone in the implementation of the ‘Delivering as One’ initiative in Vietnam, the Deputy PM noted.
He stated that the GOUNH also demonstrates Vietnam's commitment to facilitate the co-ordination, coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of the UN system and reflects Vietnam's commitment to responding to climate change and reducing the impacts of daily activities on the environment.
Speaking at the event, the UN General-Secretary said that the GOUNH has created "one of the most eco-friendly and energy efficient office buildings in the region' and it is a testiment to UN coherence, inter-agency co-operation and teamwork.
"This One UN House is a powerful symbol of how Vietnam can be a true pioneer for the United Nations. This country is helping to prove how well we can reform, how we operate and enhance, how we deliver as one around the world", the Secretary-General said at the press encounter immediately after the inauguration ceremony.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is speaking at the press encounter after the inauguration ceremony of the Green One UN House
He noted that the GOUNH is a model for energy efficiency and sustainability and is good for the natural environment and for our working environment, adding that the house reflects the UN commitment to deliver a more sustainable world for the people of Vietnam.
UN Resident Co-ordinator to Vietnam, Pratibha Mehta said “In years to come the Green One UN House will help the UN both Deliver as One and Deliver Green. This means that we will deliver development results together in a much more coherent, cost-effective and environmentally friendly way.”
The GOUNH is also the first building in Vietnam to be awarded a provisional Gold Lotus Rating from the Vietnam Green Building Council.
The house is part of the wider effort of the UN in response to the call from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June 2007 for ‘using energy more efficiently and eliminating wasteful practices’. It was built through the adaptation, re-use and recycling of the structure of a pre-existing building which reduced the demolition works, cost and waste materials.
The renovation of the GOUHN commenced in early 2013 with an investment of over US$9 million in financial contributions from Norway, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Saudi Arabia.
The GOUNH in Vietnam will help the UN in Vietnam to 'Deliver as One' and 'Deliver Green' which will support the implementation of the other five objectives: One Plan, One Budget, One Leader, One Set of Management Practices and One Voice.
This is the second visit by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Vietnam in five years. During his visit, he met Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and delivered a speech at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.
