The Vietnamese delegation to the event is ledby Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong.
In a remark at the forum, Phuong saidVietnam’s sustainable development viewpoint is incorporated in socio-economicdevelopment strategies and plans and specified in the national action plan toimplement the 2030 Agenda. The most outstanding achievements are the grossdomestic product growth of 6.7 percent, 6.2 percent and 6.8 percent in 2015,2016 and 2017, respectively, while the rate of multidimensional poverty was cutto below 7 percent in 2017 from 9.9 percent in 2015.
In 2016, the rate of households accessingclean water and electricity reached 93.4 percent and 99 percent, respectively.
In 2017, health insurance coverage hit 86.4percent, 54.2 percent of the population had internet subscriptions and forestcoverage reached 41.5 percent.
Vietnam has made strides in improving genderequality in all aspects from politics to economics, society and culture, and infacilitating public access to information and law, with a focus on the poor,the disabled and ethnic minorities.
According to the deputy minister, Vietnamhas issued a Plan of Action detailing responsibilities of parties concernedfrom the central to grassroots level, such as the National Assembly,Government, ministries and agencies, social organisations, business circle andresidential communities.
On the way to global integration, Vietnamhas stepped up global and public-private partnerships to ensure resources forsustainable development, he said.
The country also has met challengesregarding the environment, climate change response, financial resources,connectivity among sectors and statistics capacity.
In the near future, Vietnam will work topromote sustainable economic growth in tandem with social progress andfairness, ecological environment protection, effective use and management ofnatural resources and climate change response, Phuong said.
Participants at the event hailed Vietnam’sefforts, achievements and commitments to sustainable development and asked forfurther sharing of experience in incorporating SDGs into nationalsocio-economic development plans and strategies.
Themed “Transformation towards sustainableand resilient societies”, the HLPF is held from July 9-18, 2018 with theparticipation of more than 2,500 delegates from 193 UN member states,international and non-governmental organisations.
The forum’s first meeting was held in 2013 followingthe Rio 22 Conference on Sustainable Development, in replace of the UNCommission on Sustainable Development, which had met annually since 1993.
This year’s forum aims to review thefulfillment of six out of 17 SDGs and VNR by 47 countries. As part of theinter-governmental review of SDGs fulfillment, the VNR is presented each yearat the HLPF, starting from 2016. UN member countries are required to make VNRat least twice between now and 2030.-VNA