Vietnam hands over chairmanship of Asia-Pacific Group in Vienna to India

Vienna, July 4 (VNA) – Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna (Austria), on July 2 handed over the Chairmanship of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) in Vienna to Ambassador Shambhu Kumaran, head of the Indian Mission.

Ambassador Hoang emphasised that the spirit of solidarity, inclusiveness, and cooperation within the APG had been upheld and further strengthened throughout Vietnam’s tenure as its coordinator from December 2024 to June 2025.

He expressed his sincere gratitude to the member states for their trust and strong support, and his confidence that under India’s leadership, the APG will continue to promote its role and collective voice at multilateral forums in Vienna.

During its six-month term, Vietnam chaired and actively participated in a number of prominent activities, reaffirming the APG’s proactive and constructive engagement in multilateral mechanisms and the United Nations. Notably, on January 23, 2025, Vietnam delivered a statement on behalf of the Group at the “Asia-Pacific Collaborative Get-Together with UNIDO”, which focused on South-South cooperation for an inclusive future in the region.

Vietnam also represented the APG in attending and delivering statements at key sessions such as the 68th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND68), the 34th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ34), and the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC). In addition, it coordinated regular consultation sessions between the APG and the Chair of the IAEA Board of Governors.

Notably, Vietnam, in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Indonesia, successfully organised an APG meeting on the UNTOC review mechanism on March 27.

In addition, the country hosted thematic discussions with INTERPOL on May 14 and UNCITRAL on June 10, providing updates and assisting member states in preparing for technical meetings. The Vietnamese representative also contributed a video statement on behalf of the APG to the upcoming 21st General Conference of UNIDO, scheduled for October 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Vietnam’s successful completion of its role has helped enhance the Group’s credibility and standing in multilateral activities in Vienna, while reaffirming the country’s commitment to promoting regional and international cooperation in a constructive and inclusive manner. Vietnam remains committed to supporting and working closely with India in the upcoming term to further strengthen the APG’s role within the United Nations system in Vienna./.