Vietnam, for the first time, has been voted for the membership of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) thanks to its economic development records. 
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That the commission attaches the importance of an improved legal framework for the facilitation of international trade and investment is widely acknowledged in the context of the increasingly economically interdependent world.
Economic development supported
Vietnam’s membership is largely attributed to its achievements in trade, investment, foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction, the country’s commitments and perfection of its legal framework, as well as and its role and contributions to the UN General Assembly’s International Law Commission (ILC), said Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung.
The voting is also based on good remarks of foreign companies doing business and working with Vietnamese partners, Trung said.
Vietnam’s ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is one of the reasons for the voting, the diplomat said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung. Photo: Vnexpress
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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the membership will enable Vietnam to refer to international experience in perfecting legal frameworks that facilitate business environment for sustainable development.
The admission to the UNCITRAL will help Vietnam promote its multilateral relations, and global peace and prosperity.
Being a UNCITRAL member, Vietnam is eligible to take part in the commission’s discussions that enrich the country’s capacity of cooperation and solving disputes between the government and investors, Trung noted.
The membership will also enable Vietnam to raise its voice and contribute to the improvement of legislation, largely supporting the country’s foreign economic ties, Trung emphasized.
So far, Vietnamese firms have been in disadvantaged positions in trading with foreign partners or in global lawsuits due to insufficient knowledge of international trade law, according to lawyer Chau Viet Bac from Vietnam International Arbitration Center (VIAC). Joining the UNCITRAL will help local firms avoid risks, better prepare for unexpected conflicts, and be better-protected when needed, he noted.
In 2016, Vietnam won the membership of the ILC. The country is also running for a non-permanent seat of the UN's Security Council next year.
