Vietnam, through its development strategy, planned to boost economic development while ensuring social equality and environmental protection.

The statement was made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a reception for the Chair of the UN Social Protection Floor Advisory Group, Michelle Bachelet, who was the former Chilean President, in Hanoi on October 14.

According to the PM, together with economic development programmes, Vietnam was also implementing 40 social security programmes. Thanks to its sustainable development strategy, Vietnam has maintained its growth rate of nearly 7 percent during the 2006-2010 period despite impacts from the global economic crisis, he said.

However, PM Dung noted that Vietnam remained a low-income, developing country, so investment for education and health care as well as improving living standards and incomes was still a major challenge for the country.

The Government leader also suggested UN organisations continue cooperation and support for Vietnam in order to help the country better implement its social security programmes.

He affirmed that Vietnam would stand side by side with UN organisations, especially in developing people-centred goals.

At the meeting, PM Dung said he was pleased with the developing relationship between Vietnam and the UN in all aspects, including effective cooperation between Vietnamese agencies and UN bodies, especially a pilot “One-UN” programme in Vietnam .

He also spoke highly of the Initiative on the Social Protection Floor, saying that it was an initiative of humanity that represented the UN’s common goal of peace, cooperation and development for countries and peoples.

Michelle Bachelet expressed her admiration at Vietnam ’s social security achievements, saying that the country’s big success in this area should be mutiplied.

She said that the UN Initiative on Social Protection Floor, initiated and implemented by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), aimed to help countries avoid a collapse following the global economic crisis.

She affirmed that she would keep close watch on significant developments in Vietnam and would try her best to promote development of the country.

With its strong development in recent years, the UN official expressed her belief that Vietnam was well placed to cope with major global challenges./.