New York [US], September 23 (ANI): As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten lives and livelihoods globally, Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that his nation is "vigorously" combating the virus, protecting its people, sustaining economic growth and leaving no one behind.

Noting that no statistical figures can truly measure the grief and loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the contagion has sounded "a warning bell of shocking destruction", exposing global governance shortcomings and increasing inequality among nations.

Acknowledging that COVID-19 was not the only global challenge, the Vietnamese President painted a gloomy picture of wars, territory and resource disputes, and a disregard for international law.

"What really motivates us are the strong desire for peace, cooperation and development among the people around the globe, and the deep perception of nations on the importance of international solidarity and multilateralism", he added.

With its 75-year experience in "preserving peace and nurturing friendly, just and equitable international relations", the head of State lauded the UN for continuing to assert its "key role" in multilateralism and effectively coordinating concerted efforts to address the global challenges that cannot be resolved by any single country acting alone.

Shining a light on the "urgent task" of expeditiously containing the pandemic, the President stated that vaccine allocation should be prioritized for nations with low inoculation rates.

He saw resilience-building - based upon cooperation and connectivity among nations - as key in containing the virus and fostering economic recovery.

Xuan Phuc also underscored the need to transform challenges into development opportunities, including in digitalization and new technologies.

"It is also a chance for us to pursue green transformation, sustainable development, trade and investment facilitation", he said. (ANI)