State President Truong Tan Sang speaks at the United Nations Summit to Adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda (Source: VNA)
Vietnam wholeheartedly supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and pledges to do its best to ensure its successfully implementation, said President Truong Tan Sang.
In his speech delivered at the United Nations Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda in New York on September 25 (New York time), he held that Vietnam is working with other ASEAN member countries to build a regional community by the year-end. The group and its partners are engaged in common efforts to maintain and consolidate peace and security in the region, including ensuring maritime safety and security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea).
Following is the full text of the President’s statement.
“Mr. Co-chair,
“On behalf of the State and people of Vietnam, I extend my warmest greetings to you and your Co-chair, to Mr. Secretary-General and fellow leaders at this Summit.
“Mr. Co-chair,
“At the dawn of the millennium, we adopted a political Declaration with eight actionable MDGs, expressing a strong commitment for our peoples’ development. Fifteen years on, the implementation of the MDGs has produced encouraging results around the world, helping change the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Yet, over a billion people still live in extreme poverty, and the progress on several MDGs falls short of our expectations. Hunger and poverty, epidemics, social injustice, depletion of natural resources, environment degradation, climate change, conflicts and crises, escalating violence, instability and tension in many corners of the world are seriously threatening peace, security and sustainable development.
“It is in that context that we gather here today to express our strongest commitment and support for a truly transformational global development agenda. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that we adopted earlier this morning, with the 17 goals and 169 targets, presents a new strategic vision that reflects the aspiration of humanity to live in a world of peace and prosperity, of equality and justice, a world where development is green, clean and sustainable. The Agenda creates a framework and sets the direction for all nations to collectively respond to common challenges, in the three pillars of economic, social and environment.
“Mr. Co-chair,
“Vietnam wholeheartedly supports the 2030 Agenda and pledges to do our level best to ensure its successful implementation. We will mobilise all necessary resources. We will engage all ministries, sectors, localities, organisations and communities. And we will place the people at the center in this major endeavour.
“As we embark on this journey, three points need particular attention.
“First, peace and development are intertwined. Never can we expect the SDGs to be realized in the circumstances of war, conflict and instability. Only by ensuring peace and stability can we pool adequate resources and foster the necessary partnerships for SDG implementation. Therefore, maintaining peace and security on the basis of respect for international law is a precondition for the successful implementation of the SDGs. It is incumbent upon us all to find peaceful and satisfactory solutions to conflicts and disputes, exercise self-restraint, refrain from the use or threat of force, and strengthen cooperation among all countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.
“Second, having achieved most MDGs ahead of schedule, Vietnam believes that successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda requires strong political will and full and effective mobilization of domestic resources. It requires us to envision sustainable development as a long-term people-centered endeavour and mainstream the SDGs into all national programs and strategies, taking into account the specific conditions and circumstances of each nation. As part of our own National Strategy on Sustainable Development for 2011-2020, Vietnam is committed to accelerating economic restructuring, transforming the growth model to enhance growth quality and economic efficiency, guarantee social equality, preserve natural resources, protect the environment and respond to climate change.
“Third, it is imperative to strengthen the global partnership for sustainable development. The United Nations can and should play the critical coordinating role. Developed countries are called upon to take the lead and undertake to support the developing world to implement the SDGs, particularly through capacity building, technology transfer, trade facilitation and access to financial resources. In this connection, on behalf of the people of Vietnam, I would like to thank all partners for the support extended to Vietnam in its socio-economic development and MDG implementation over the past years. We look forward to further cooperation and assistance in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
“Mr. Co-chair,
“Vietnam is working with other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to build an ASEAN Community by the end of 2015 and a Southeast Asian region of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity. To ensure an environment conducive for sustainable development, ASEAN and its partners are engaged in common efforts to maintain and consolidate peace and security in the region, including ensuring maritime safety and security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea - the main artery connecting ASEAN with other regions. We continue to believe that any and all disputes in the South China Sea can only be resolved by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, effective and full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and early conclusion of the Code of Conduct (COC).
“Mr. Co-Chair,
“Let me conclude by underlining the critical importance of high-level political commitment and determination, without which we cannot succeed in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in the interest of all peoples of the world, for a safer and better life for the children of today and tomorrow. Viet Nam pledges to be an active and responsible partner in these common endeavours, to help ensure that no one is left behind.
“Thank you.”-VNA
