The visit takes place at the timewhen Vietnam is preparing for the celebration of the 45th anniversaryof its membership in the largest global multi-lateral organisation (September20, 1977-2022).
On the foundation of their 45-year-oldcooperation, Vietnam and the UN have becomeeach other's partner, and are working together to realise 17 sustainable developmentgoals (SDGs) so as to address major development challenges facing people inVietnam and around the world.
Vietnam has built a NationalAction Plan towards SDGs which serves as the basis for the country to design its own goals in accordance with the situation of the country, provincesand cities. On September 25, 2020, the Government issued Resolution No.136/NQ-CP on sustainable development, setting out Vietnam’s 17 SDGs until 2030.
Most of the goals have beenincluded in the country's national institutional system, especially the currentConstitution, as well as in resolutions and socio-economic development programmes ofthe Government, ministries, departments, sectors and localities.
Under the Joint StrategicPlan for 2017-2021 between Vietnam and the UN signed on July 5, 2017, the organisationhas assisted the Vietnamese Government in implementing the Socio-EconomicDevelopment Plan for the 2016-2020 periodand the SDGs with four priority areas of investing in human, ensuringadaptation to climate change and sustainable environmental development,promoting prosperity and partnership, and strengthening justice, peace andinclusive governance.
Through developmentassistance programmes, Vietnam has to date been one of the countries thatseriously implements the UN's development goals, especially the SDGs until2030, which have been mainstreamed in the country’s socio-economic developmentstrategies and plans, in harmony with cooperation frameworks signed with theUnited Nations in each period.
Among 17 general goals and169 specific ones of the 2030 Agenda, Vietnam has nationalised 17 general and115 specific ones, suitable to the development conditions and context of thecountry.
In the field of ensuringclimate change adaptation and sustainable environmental development, Vietnam ratifiedthe Paris Agreement on Climate Change, committed to implementing the 2015-2030Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and is currently working on the intendednationally determined contributions with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions by 8 percent by 2030, or by 25 percent with internationalsupport. At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), PrimeMinister Pham Minh Chinh made a strong commitment to reducing netemissions to zero by 2050, and 30 percent of methane emissions by 2030.
UN Development ProgrammeResident Representative Caitlin Wiesen spoke highly of the commitments by PMPham Minh Chinh at the COP26 in Glasgow, the UK, especially the commitments tonet zero emissions by 2050.
“Vietnam is also taking thevery proactive steps establishing a national steering committee and realigningkey climate change strategy documents as well as Power Development Plan No. 8,”she said.
The UNDP official emphasisedthat although there are big challenges, the opportunities are large too, sayingVietnam is “on the threshold of also planning a future way of growth that has notyet been fully experienced in the world.”
Vietnam and the UNhave approved the Strategic Cooperation Framework for 2022 - 2026 with thefocus on inclusive social development; combating climate change, naturaldisasters and environmental sustainability; transformation of economy andgovernance.
The effective implementationof the SDGs not only brings positive changes to the socio-economic developmentof Vietnam, but also is a proof of the country’s active participation and increasingrole in multilateral mechanisms, especially the UN, thus contributing to peaceand stability in the world. It also affirms cooperation between Vietnam and theUN as a typical example of development cooperation among UN member countries,and affirms the organisation’s role in promoting international cooperation tosolve socio-economic, cultural and humanitarian issues./.