Vietnam considers fulfilment of the United Nations’ millenium development goals (MDGs) its own development targets and prioritises disadvantaged regions and poor people, said a ranking government official.
Speaking at a meeting in Hanoi on July 8, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Bich Dat laid stress on the commitments and determination of Vietnam in integrating MDGs into its socio-economic plans.
The meeting was held to gather advice for an MDG draft, planned to be named “ Vietnam on the way to fulfilling MDGs.”
By 2010, Vietnam has completed a majority of MDGs ahead of time compared to its commitments with the international community. Many goals set for 2015 were fulfilled in 2008, including elimination of extreme poverty and hunger, completion of primary education universalisation, promotion of gender equality and women empowerment, reduction of the fatality rate among children and improvement of maternal health.
“Vietnam have reached and will reach MDGs on the national scale,” said Tran Quoc Phuong, Director of the National MDG Project.
However, Phuong said, challenges facing Vietnam in the coming time are to ensure that MDGs will be fulfilled equally from region to region and people from all walks of life, particularly from disadvantaged groups, will enjoy equivalent benefits.
At present, there is still a significant disparity among regions and areas in the implementation of MDGs. People from ethnic minority groups and rural to urban migrants tend to enjoy less benefits than the national average./.
