UN Development Programme (UNDP) AdministratorHelen Clark made the evaluation in an interview granted to the VietnamNews Agency to mark her trip to Vietnam, where she is attending theannual meeting of UNDP chief representatives in Asia-Pacific and theUNDP’s management conference in the region.
She also saidVietnamese women have increasingly important positions in decisionmaking and that Vietnam has advanced from a poor nation to itscurrent middle income status.
The UNDP has had a presence inVietnam for about 35 years, during which the body has witnessedremarkable growth in the country, she said.
Clark suggestedVietnam seek growth and development models that ensure thatdevelopment achievements are distributed equally and living standardsare raised.
The Vietnamese Government will consult the UNDPat a donors’ meeting scheduled for early next year in an effort toelevate the country to a higher development level, she said, reasoningthat the middle-income status has the potential to be a trap sendingVietnam backward.
The UNDP leader said during the Hanoimeetings, the UNDP and the Vietnamese Government will table all idealson future development and consider solutions to help Vietnam furtherdevelop.-VNA