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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (Source: VNA) |
During the visit, Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana greeted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, held talks with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, worked with leaders of several ministries and branches, and participated in several activities such as listening to reports on activities towards the Green School goal.
Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana's visit to Vietnam follows the visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in October 2022, demonstrating the appreciation and respect of the UN in general and ESCAP in particular for the role, position and contributions of Vietnam in the Asia-Pacific region.
On the Vietnamese side, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son's invitation to the UN Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP to visit Vietnam also affirmed that ESCAP holds an important position in Vietnam's multilateral foreign policy, highly appreciating the role and position of ESCAP in the Asia-Pacific region.
This is also a thank you for ESCAP's practical support over the years and demonstrates Vietnam's strong commitment to further strengthening cooperation with ESCAP in the coming time.
New approach needed
A reality that both the UN and Vietnam recognize is that although the world and the region are in the middle of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they are facing significant challenges. The Asia-Pacific region in general and Vietnam in particular are facing difficult problems related to climate change.
In addition, there are the severe and profound impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and current global challenges such as conflicts, food and water insecurity, natural disasters, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, etc. on the current socio-economic recovery and development process.
Therefore, international cooperation, enhancing the role of multilateralism, and “leaving no one behind” continue to be the motto and key emphasized by Vietnam and the UN in the exchanges on this occasion.
Receiving Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that global issues and those affecting the entire population require a global, all-people approach; especially ensuring fairness and justice. Vietnam highly values the role of the United Nations in promoting multilateral cooperation to address global issues, as well as the important contributions of ESCAP to socio-economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.
As a responsible partner of the international community, facing challenges that are unique to each country, Vietnam is one of the leading countries in the region in terms of commitments to promote sustainable development, especially its strong commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 and the recent green and sustainable energy transition.
Vietnam builds an independent and self-reliant economy associated with proactive and active international integration, comprehensively, practically and effectively. In that process, Vietnam takes people as the center, subject, goal, driving force and resource of development; does not trade progress, social justice and environment for mere economic growth; affirms that Vietnam attaches great importance to efforts to promote a peaceful, cooperative and developing environment in the world; is determined to develop people, protect nature and the living environment.
Witnessing Vietnam's remarkable journey, from "words to actions" in its efforts and commitments to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), responding to climate change, implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), digital transformation, socio-economic development and post-Covid-19 recovery in a sustainable manner... in the past time, Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana believes that Vietnam will complete its socio-economic development goals, becoming a model that can share experiences with many other countries.
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| Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son held talks with UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana on July 3. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
Enlist practical support
ESCAP is the largest and most important international organization in the Asia-Pacific region for promoting sustainable development, and has been implementing many important initiatives to support the development of countries in the region. Vietnam and developing countries in the region have benefited greatly from ESCAP's consulting activities, policy coordination, and projects. In return, Vietnam has always actively and effectively contributed to ESCAP. Both sides have affirmed their desire to strengthen cooperation with each other.
In the context of the current situation in Vietnam, the issues that ESCAP is concerned with are also major issues that the Vietnamese Government is concerned with. This uniformity is a favorable condition for ministries and branches to strengthen cooperation and seek the assistance of ESCAP.
During the visit of the UN Deputy Secretary-General, the two sides exchanged views and appreciated the positive developments in the cooperative relationship in recent times and discussed measures to further enhance cooperation in the coming time.
Over the past time, Vietnam has implemented many cooperations and gained practical support from ESCAP, especially in three aspects: Planning policies and strategies for socio-economic development; directions and policies to remove difficulties in a specific field or issue; improving staff capacity through training courses and seminars on macroeconomic policies, social issues, agricultural development, transportation, information and communication, statistics, natural disaster prevention, environmental protection, etc.
Some recent projects include: Comprehensive research on inclusive business models in Vietnam; assessment of Vietnam's readiness for cross-border paperless trade; building a data system on SDGs implementation at the national level.
Through these cooperation projects, Vietnam has had the opportunity to access new knowledge, exchange experiences and expand its network of partners in the region. This has contributed to enhancing Vietnam’s understanding and capacity in sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development as well as helping to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of policies, while creating favorable conditions for Vietnam to go further in achieving the SDGs.
| ESCAP is one of five regional Economic and Social Commissions under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), entrusted by ECOSOC as a “Center for Economic and Social Development of the Asia-Pacific Region”. |
A National Forum on SDGs in 2024
It can be affirmed that the common and most important "destination" at this time for both Vietnam and ESCAP is to implement the SDGs.
In many multilateral forums, Vietnam has made requests for the international community to continue to cooperate and support Vietnam in implementing the SDGs, commitments at COP26, and implementing the Partnership for a Just Energy Transition; at the same time, Vietnam will continue to closely cooperate with ESCAP and other international partners to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world based on the motto "leaving no one behind".
That message continued to be sent by Vietnam to the female UN Deputy Secretary-General on this occasion.
In response, Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana affirmed her readiness to discuss with Vietnam the possibility of organizing a National Forum on SDGs in 2024; and her readiness to support Vietnam in accelerating the implementation of SDGs, preparing to participate in the SDGs Summit organized by the United Nations Secretary-General in September 2023 in New York, equitable energy transition, climate change adaptation, and digital transformation.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation activities in the fields of climate change adaptation, JETP implementation, conversion to electricity and green energy for means of transport, development of green transport infrastructure, improvement of statistical capacity, digital transformation, science and technology and innovation for sustainable development, etc.
Thus, the UN Deputy Secretary-General's visit to Vietnam at an important time for both the region and the world, when the "destination" 2030 faces many obstacles, has brought practical results for both Vietnam and ESCAP, opening a new phase in substantive and effective cooperation between the two sides, contributing to promoting the implementation of SDGs in the Asia-Pacific region.
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