Vietnam considers fulfilment of the United Nations’millenium development goals (MDGs) its own development targets andprioritises disadvantaged regions and poor people, said a rankinggovernment official.
Speaking at a meeting in Hanoi on July 8, Deputy Minister of Planningand Investment Nguyen Bich Dat laid stress on the commitments anddetermination of Vietnam in integrating MDGs into its socio-economicplans.
The meeting was held to gather advice for an MDG draft, planned to benamed “ Vietnam on the way to fulfilling MDGs.”
By 2010, Vietnam has completed a majority of MDGs ahead of time comparedto its commitments with the international community. Many goals set for2015 were fulfilled in 2008, including elimination of extreme povertyand hunger, completion of primary education universalisation, promotionof gender equality and women empowerment, reduction of the fatality rateamong children and improvement of maternal health.
“Vietnam have reached and will reach MDGs on the national scale,” saidTran Quoc Phuong, Director of the National MDG Project.
However, Phuong said, challenges facing Vietnam in the coming time areto ensure that MDGs will be fulfilled equally from region to region andpeople from all walks of life, particularly from disadvantaged groups,will enjoy equivalent benefits.
At present, there is still a significant disparity among regions andareas in the implementation of MDGs. People from ethnic minority groupsand rural to urban migrants tend to enjoy less benefits than thenational average./.