Top Leader To Lam to Attend UNGA, Visit Canada

Minister of Public Security To Lam of Vietnam will attend the High-level General Debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next week. Themed "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All," the session will take place from September 22-28. This marks the second time To Lam participates in a UNGA session in his capacity as the leader of the Party and State, following his first attendance in 2024. Since joining the UN in 1977, Vietnam has made numerous contributions and undertaken a range of important international responsibilities. These include serving as President of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 2026, and as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 and 2026-2028 terms. Furthermore, for the first time, Vietnam has a representative serving as a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 term. Following his participation in the UNGA, Minister To Lam is scheduled to visit Canada. Vietnam and Canada established diplomatic relations in 1973 and upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Partnership in November 2017. Canada is advancing its Indo-Pacific Strategy and strengthening relations with ASEAN and key partners in the region. Relations between Vietnam and the United States have also seen rapid advancements in recent years. Diplomatic ties were normalized in July 1995, and upgraded to a Comprehensive Partnership in July 2013. In September 2023, the two countries elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. The U.S. is one of Vietnam's leading trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching US$170 billion in 2025 and US$97.7 billion in the first half of 2026. Minister To Lam's attendance at the UNGA and subsequent visit to Canada are seen as part of Vietnam's diplomatic strategy to expand its role on the international stage, deepen ties with key nations, and enhance its influence. His participation as the Minister of Public Security is particularly indicative of Vietnam's engagement in regional and global security issues.