Ambassador ng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, spoke at the UN Security Council’s open discussion on famine and conflict-related global food security.
Ambassador ng Hoàng Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, spoke at the UN Security Council’s open discussion on famine and conflict-related global food security. He emphasised the growing challenge of food security, as evidenced by recent reports and discussions at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s 43rd session in Italy in July.
In order to break the cycle between conflict and poverty, Ambassador ng Hoàng Giang emphasises the urgent need for the international community to show a stronger commitment and work together. In his speech, he emphasised the global food security challenge’s growing importance and seriousness.
Food insecurity remained a significant issue throughout much of the world, especially in conflict-affected areas, he said, despite the fact that many sectors recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He emphasised that the UNSC needed to play a more effective role in addressing the root causes of conflicts in order to lower the risks of conflict-caused food insecurity and stressed that doing so would help prevent violence and promote peace, which is the most effective way to prevent famine in those regions.
The Vietnamese representative urged all parties to conflicts to uphold the UN Charter and international law, particularly international humanitarian law, and to refrain from destroying vital infrastructure necessary for the survival of civilians, especially women and children, as outlined in Resolution 2573, which Viet Nam proposed while it held the UNSC presidency in April 2021.
To address famine in conflict-affected areas, the UNSC should work more closely with specialized organizations like the FAO, the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and other international partners. Giang also suggested that cooperation with regional organizations be strengthened in order to increase the resilience of food systems and ensure that global food supply chains are maintained.
He affirmed that the country prioritised the development of low-emission and climate-resilient agriculture, with the aim of making Viet Nam into a food innovation hub in the region. “Food security is not only a goal but also a solution for Viet Nam’s socio-economic development,” he said.
The diplomat stated, “Vietnam is committed to actively contributing to global food security by maintaining a stable export of rice and other agricultural products, and is willing to work with the international community to address food insecurity brought on by conflicts.
Participants agreed that strengthening the UN’s, particularly the UNSC’s, role in conflict prevention and improving early warning systems for threats to food security was crucial.
Additionally, they emphasized the need to make the world food system more sustainable and to guarantee civilians’ access to food during conflicts.