Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the meeting (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has highlighted Vietnam’scommitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the country’ssupport for cooperation partners at a UN meeting in Hanoi on March 7.
At the high-levelmeeting for the Euro-Asia region on improving cooperation on transit, tradefacilitation and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, Minh said Vietnambelieves that strengthening international collaboration with the engagement of variousparties is crucial to help countries, including transit and landlocked nations,to overcome challenges and achieve sustainable development goals.
The partnership and cooperationbased on mutual respect and benefit among landlocked developing countries andtransit nations is the way to secure prosperity in the future, he said.
The Deputy PM notedthat after 30 years of reform, Vietnam has acknowledged the importance of tradeand investment to economic growth and poverty reduction. Vietnam is now amember of the World Trade Organisation, the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum and manyfree trade agreements, which helps the country get better access to markets inthe world and boost its socio-economic development.
He said Vietnam alwaysattaches much importance to fostering relations, including economicconnectivity, with its neighbouring countries, adding that their success andprosperity will create positive impacts on Vietnam’s growth and ensure sustainabilityfor the whole region.
The Deputy PM alsonoted that Vietnam has conducted different measures to foster economic andinfrastructure connectivity with its neighbouring countries, especially withLaos, a landlocked developing nation, both bilaterally and regionally.
Meanwhile, the countryis working closely with Mekong River downstream countries to expand an economiccorridor and connect remote areas with international seaports, he said.
Minh took this occasionto thank the UN for its support to Vietnam in gaining socio-economicachievements, adding that Vietnam has contributed remarkably to the UN’s workover the past 40 years and pledged to work harder in the field.
At the event, GyanChandra Acharya, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for theLeast Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small IslandDeveloping States (UN-OHRLLS), stressed that there should be the engagement of manycountries, ODA implementation tools, and mobilization of domestic investment, technologyand capacity building to realise the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,
He asserted that tradeplays an important role and acts as a tool in the implementation of the agenda,which is seen as a motivation of economic growth and poverty reduction.
Meanwhile, FrederickMusiiwa Makamure Shava, President of the UN Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC), underscored the importance of strengthening trade facilitationprogrammes and building a legal framework on transit. He also highlighted theneed to share experience and effective policies and initiatives in sustainable development.
Hongbu Wu, UNUnder-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, stated thatsustainable transportation is the key to sustainable growth and economicintegration while ensuring environmental protection.
Mukhisa Kituyi,Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), saidthat landlocked countries are dependent on exports with low added value due to highcosts and trade losses resulted from their poor access to sea transportation.
He suggested that thelandlocked and transit countries should foster cooperation with priority placedon creating chances for international transportation access.
Umberto de Pretto,Secretary-General of the International Road Transport Union, held that it isnecessary to turn landlocked countries into road-linked nations through roadnetworks connecting remote villages to international markets.
Jointly held by theMinistry of Foreign Affairs and the UN-OHRLLS, the meeting has six discussionson a range of issues on transit, trade facilitation and implementation the 2030Agenda.
Participants are alsoexpected to seek measures to promote cooperation in customs among landlockedand transit nations, and creating favourable conditions for trade andinvestment as well as construction of trans-national transit systems and attractmore investment in building necessary bilateral and multilateral legalframeworks in the field.-VNA
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