As we mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, we face a stark fact. In every corner of the world, LGBTQI+ people continue to face violence, persecution, hate speech, injustice and even outright murder. Meanwhile, retrograde laws continue to criminalize LGBTQI+ people around the world, punishing them for simply being who they are.   Each assault on LGBTQI+ people is an assault on human rights and the values we hold dear. We cannot and will not move backwards. The United Nations firmly stands with the LGBTQI+ community, and will continue working until human rights and dignity are a reality for all people. I renew my call to all Member States to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and end the criminalization of consensual same-sex relations and transgender people. Being yourself should never be a crime. In keeping with this year’s theme — “Together Always: United in Diversity” — I call on the world to speak with one voice to eliminate the stigma, discrimination, harmful practices, and often deadly violence endured by LGBTQI+ people. Human rights are non-negotiable. They belong to every member of the human family — no matter who they are or whom they love. Let’s continue working to build a peaceful, just world in which all people are free and equal in dignity and rights.    

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for people everywhere to support the right to live free and equal.  In line with his Highest Aspiration: A Call to Action for Human Rights, today we reaffirm the promise of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) – to uphold universal, indivisible and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms for everyone, everywhere.  Our efforts are particularly important this year, as 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the UDHR. We have come a long way, and yet, equality is not yet within reach, and discrimination and phobias against minority groups persists.  The Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) 2022 shows that the LGBTI community continues to face stigmatization and bias.  Moreover, LGBTI persons face restrictions in accessing education, employment, housing, healthcare and other social services.  Viet Nam supported several recommendations on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the 3rd cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).  We strongly support reporting on the implementation of recommendations on LGBTI in the 4th cycle of the UPR that is underway this year in consultation with the LGBTI community organizations.  Making improvements to the rights of LGBTI persons and organizations will also lead to accelerating progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities, ensuring that no one is left behind. The UN in Viet Nam is committed to accelerating progress through promotion of laws, policies, budgets, and institutions that ensure human rights for all and advancing equality..  Towards this positive change, focus should be placed on the adoption of the Gender Affirmation Law that puts the principle of self-determination at the center. Actions include developing comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, amending the Gender Equality Law to broaden the scope of the legal definition of “gender” to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and strengthening the Marriage and Family Law. Let us unite to create this change.  Nothing about us without us calls for meaningful participation and leadership of LGBTI persons in policy development that affects their lives. Only then can everyone enjoy the right to live free and equal.

All 27 EU member countries are expected to begin piloting CBAM in October 2023, with the aim of ensuring a level playing field for European businesses facing carbon prices by imposing a carbon border tax on imports from countries that do not apply equivalent carbon pricing measures. CBAM will have a direct impact on Vietnamese producers who export  to the EU, as exporters will need to ensure that their products meet the corresponding tax rate set on EU manufacturers. Initially, CBAM will apply to imported goods such as steel, cement, fertiliser, aluminium, electricity, and hydrogen, which are sectors with a high risk of carbon leakage and high carbon emissions.  To support this transition, the UNOPS-managed Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) conducted a consultation workshop for the CBAM impact assessment report on Viet Nam and held a workshop in Ha Noi. The aim of the workshop was to gather feedback and ideas on how Viet Nam can reduce the adverse effects and increase the advantages of the EU's CBAM for energy transition, climate change mitigation, and low-carbon development in Viet Nam. 70 people attended in person, including representatives from governmental agencies and ministries such as MOF, MOIT, MONRE/DCC (Department of Climate Change) and MOC while an additional 110 joined online. Sirpa Jarvenpaa, the Director of the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) Project, emphasised the significance of CBAM for Viet Nam, which is a major exporter to the EU by saying: "The results of the impact assessment of the CBAM provide a comprehensive view of the difficulties and policies affecting Viet Nam and how CBAM contributes to the energy transition to help Vietnam reduce carbon emissions". Across Southeast Asia, at the regional, national and local levels, the ETP Project ambitiously pursues energy transition. Through engaging private and public partners, the project aims to drive change at policy, fiscal and technology levels. This includes expanding financing for investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable resilient infrastructures to deliver joint action. The implementation of CBAM highlights the global importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To remain competitive in the global marketplace, businesses must take action to reduce their carbon footprint. UNOPS through the ETP supports Vietnamese businesses to prepare and adapt to greener production.  ENDS   Notes to the editors:  Contact Details: Toan Do (toand@unops.org) / Thuy NGUYEN: thuyn@unops.org) About ETP The Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) is a multi-donor regional platform, managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), that supports the Philippines, Viet Nam, and Indonesia’s transition towards modern energy systems that can simultaneously ensure economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability.  About UNOPS UNOPS's mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Read more: www.unops.org

April 20, 2023, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. The Fourth Global Conference of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme of the UN’s One Planet Network will be held between 24 - 27 April 2023 in Ha Noi. The conference will focus on how food systems need to be transformed in order to overcome the multiple deeply rooted and interlinked crises of climate, biodiversity, conflict, energy, prices, hunger, malnutrition, and health to achieve the SDGs. The conference contributes toward the 2023 Stocktaking Moment of the UN Food Systems Summit, scheduled for 24-26 July 2023 in Rome. A number of sessions, including a Dialogue among National Convenors (UN FSS Dialogues) and a range of side events, will be held. The One Planet network was specifically mandated by UN member states Rio+20Conference on Sustainable Development. As one of its six thematic programs, the SFS Programme is a global multi-stakeholder partnership with over 190 global members that aims to accelerate the shift towards more sustainable consumption and production across all the elements that form our food systems. The SFS Programme defends that a more holistic and inclusive approach is required to successfully address the multiple challenges present today in our unsustainable food systems. The conference aims to present transformational actions, tools and initiatives that have emerged since the UN FSS held in September 2021 with a view to promote their uptake and upscaling in national and local policy-making processes. Moreover, the goal is to further promote the food systems approach and inclusive governance and collaboration at all levels – including multilateral policy processes and particularly Rio Conventions – with a view to foster their uptake for the development of multi-sectoral action plans towards sustainable consumption and production in food systems; and Furthermore, the conference will provide a space for National Convenors, UN FSS coalitions and other relevant multi-actor initiatives as well as other food systems actors such as youth, civil society and farmer organizations, to build capacities and deepen their collective efforts towards sustainable food systems pathways, prior to the July meeting. The conference will enable diverse stakeholders to showcase early signs of success in implementing UN FSS results, including by presenting tools and techniques that deal with interdependencies and trade-offs of the food systems challenges, allowing the sharing of lessons and experiences, with the goal of strengthening alliances and impactful initiatives that can deliver concrete actions in support of National Pathways. The conference will also discuss food system challenges and peer-to-peer learning and sharing of experiences from across the globe, emphasizing Asian region country participation. "We are living an unprecedented food security crisis. That's why we need to act now in a globally coordinated manner. Those most affected by this crisis do not have time for lack of coordination. Nor do future generations, who count on food systems transformation to secure their human right to adequate food, dignified livelihoods and a healthy planet." - H.E. Ambassador Gabriel Ferrero, Chairperson, UN Committee on World Food Security. The event is hosted by the Government of Viet Nam, under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and co-organized by the Co-Leads of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme: Switzerland; Costa Rica, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF); together with the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. The organizing committee has been further formed by Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT, Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development, Rikolto, the Major Group for Children and Youth, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment (UNEP), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Organization support has also been provided by INRAe, Food Action Alliance, Project X, UN Nutrition, USDA, and the World Benchmarking Alliance.  And further support has been generously provided by ACIAR, Canada, CGIAR One Health initiative, CGIAR ILRI, CGIAR Sustainable Healthy Diets initiative, CIFOR-ICRAF, CIRAD, IKI – Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), Ireland, One Health Partnership, Oxfam, and UNIDO The conference will be held at the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. Welcoming more than 150 participants from across governmental entities, private sector companies, civil society organizations, research institutions and UN agencies, the conference will feature various speakers, including H.E. Lê Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Viet Nam; H.E. Mr. Maury Hechavarría Bermúdez, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture of Cuba; H.E. Christian Hofer, Director-General, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland; Honorable Saboto Caesar, H.E. Meles Mekonen, State Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture, Ethiopia; H.E. Ambassador Gabriel Ferrero, CFS Chairperson; H.E. Sok Silo, Secretary General, Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), Office of the Council of Ministers, Cambodia; Su McCluskey, Special Representative for Australian Agriculture; Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General, UNCTAD; Joao Campari, Global Food Lead, WWF; Corinna Hawkes, Food Systems and Food Safety Director, FAO; Prof. Dao The Anh, Vice-president Viet Nam Academy of Agriculture Sciences; Nadine Gbossa, Director Food Systems Coordination, IFAD, Chief Means of Implementation, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub; Dr. Ann Trevenen-Jones, Lead of the Food Systems Governance programme at The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), among others.   More information: Mr. Michael Mulet Solon (WWF): Michael.Mulet@wwf.de   What do we mean by a Sustainable Food System? The food system brings together all elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructures, institutions) and activities related to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food and the impacts of these activities, including economic and environmental outcomes. A sustainable food system (SFS) is one that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to produce food are not compromised for future generations. In other words, the food system determines the quantity, quality and diversity of food available for consumption. The growing urbanization, the change in food patterns and the new ways of producing and processing food has changed the quantity, quality and social and environmental impact of the food consumed today. Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, food systems must guarantee a better nutrition for all people, in a more sustainable way, mitigating climate change, with the aim of ensuring adequate food and a healthy life for all people now and in the future.