Ninth global young parliamentarian conference to seek ways to promote SDGs implementation: Official

Hanoi (VNA) – The 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians will offer a chance for young parliamentarians from Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) member parliaments to discuss ways to promote the role of the youth in speeding up the progress of sustainable development goals (SDG) through digital transformation and innovation, thus strengthening the cultural diversity for sustainable growth, said General Secretary and Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Office Bui Van Cuong. 

The official said that this is the most important multilateral parliamentary event of the NA in 2023. Particularly, it will mark the eighth anniversary of the Hanoi Declaration on Sustainable Development Goals that was adopted by the 132nd IPU Assembly held in Vietnam. He added that the event will take place on the thresholds of the SGD Summit slated for New York from September 18-19.

According to Cuong, for Vietnam, the hosting of the event continues to affirm the active, proactive and responsible engagement of Vietnam in the IPU as well as the country’s position in the union, the largest multilateral parliamentary organisation in the world and one of the oldest multilateral organisations on the globe.

It also demonstrates the Party and State’s great attention to the youth and efforts to provide them with best conditions to promote their role and responsibility in national development and settlement of global challenges.

Cuong said that Vietnam will benefit from the event by learning experience to increase the participation of the youth in political and socio-economic activities in the context of digital transformation, innovation and sustainable development trend.

It is also a good chance for Vietnam to spread a message on the country’s external policy to international friends, strengthen partnership with important partners, and introduce the culture, nation and people of Vietnam.

Regarding preparations for the conference, the NA Office Chairman said that the organisation of the event received great attention from NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue who has directly worked with relevant ministries and sectors on the building of the conference’s agenda.

As of September 12, 75 parliamentary delegations with more than 310 members had registered for the conference, including 69 delegations from IPU member parliaments and six from inter-parliamentary organisations/international organisations/observers. The number of registered delegations is much higher than previous conferences.

Commenting on the theme of the conference, which is “The Role of Young People in Promoting the Realisation of Sustainable Development Goals via Digital Transformation and Innovations,” the official said that it is not only topical but also suitable to the current trends and the development orientation of countries around the globe.

He held that member parliaments and governments of all countries are clearly aware and affirm that digital transformation and innovation are inevitable trends, which are also Vietnam's top priorities today.

Cuong said the SGD implementation has been slow, with only 12% of the goals going on good track, requiring all countries to work harder and create breakthroughs to achieve the goals by 2030 as set by the UN, with stronger application of digital technologies and innovation to seek new approaches and solutions for the work, while promoting respect for cultural diversity and enhancing the role of culture in the context of technological transformation and globalisation in association with sustainable growth.

Through the conference, Vietnam hopes that young IPU parliamentarians, as politicians with closest links to young people who are knowledgeable about science and new technology as future leaders, will join hands in speeding up the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation, said the official.

He said that a declaration on the role of the youth in realisation of sustainable development goals via digital transformation and innovations is expected to be adopted at the closing session of the conference, which will be the first ever by the conference, showing the determination of young parliamentarians around the world to join hands in implementing the UN SDGs. This is very important in the current context when the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has passed the halfway mark, its implementation is still facing many difficulties and challenges, stated Cuong.

It also underlines the respect for cultural diversity during the digital transformation and innovation process.

“We are ready to become companions with the mission of harnessing the power of technology and innovation to serve SDGs in a responsible way that leaves no one behind, especially the future generations. We will work closely together to deliver on the promise of the 2015 Hanoi Declaration and respond to the urgent call of the 2030 Agenda,” Cuong emphasised.

The Conference of Young Parliamentarians was set up by the IPU in 2013, becoming an official and permanent mechanism of the union to increase the number and quality of young parliamentarians’ engagement in parliaments and the IPU.

Since 2014, the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians has been held annually, aiming to collect young parliamentarians’ ideas and recommendations on the IPU operations and agenda, while building a network, fostering solidarity and enhance the capacity and approach of the youth to issues of shared concern.

So far, eight editions of the conference have been held with different topics. This year, the event will be hosted by Hanoi with the theme “The Role of Young People in Promoting the Realisation of Sustainable Development Goals via Digital Transformation and Innovations”./.