Building optimal solutions towards sustainable development goals

Immediately after the Opening Session, continuing the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians Conference Program, delegates affirmed that the conference is an opportunity for young parliamentarians to work together to find a common voice, to seek and build the most optimal solutions to achieve the goal of a world of sustainable development, peace, prosperity, happiness and a better, inclusive world where no one is left behind.

Reflecting the development trends and concerns of countries Continuing the conference program, giving an introductory speech on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role of digital transformation and innovation, National Assembly delegate Trinh Thi Tu Anh (Lam Dong) said that with the theme "The role of youth in promoting the implementation of SDGs through digital transformation and innovation", this conference has accurately reflected the development trends and concerns of countries today. Because sustainable development, science - technology, innovation and high-quality human resources have become one of the leading important factors determining the speed and quality of development of economies, especially in the context of the world facing many difficulties and challenges.

Building optimal solutions towards sustainable development goals -0 — *National Assembly Delegate Trinh Thi Tu Anh (Lam Dong) speaks. Photo: Ho Long*

The delegate stated, “This is an extremely valuable opportunity for young delegates and parliamentarians like us to meet, exchange, share, and learn from each other about what we have done, are doing, and will do, about the results achieved, advantages, difficulties, causes, and lessons learned. At the same time, it is also an opportunity for us to speak with a common voice, to seek and build the most optimal solutions to achieve the goal of a world of sustainable development, peace, prosperity, happiness, and a better, inclusive world that leaves no one behind.”

In a video address to the Conference, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Deputy Secretary General Tomas Lamanauska emphasized that the Conference's theme is extremely important, especially as the world is facing a climate change crisis, with record-breaking temperatures over the past three summer months. We have also witnessed terrible forest fires and black smoke in many places over the past few months. The weather is too harsh. Meanwhile, we have gone nearly half way through the 2030 Agenda to implement the SDGs, but the actions to achieve these goals are still not drastic enough. This requires the international community to make stronger efforts to achieve the goals by 2030. Ensuring the legal framework for implementing the SDGs Sharing about Vietnam's achievements in implementing the SDGs, delegate Trinh Thi Tu Anh said that over the past time, despite facing countless difficulties and challenges in the world situation, Vietnam has always been one of the leading countries in implementing and realizing international commitments in its development process. The Vietnamese economy in general has achieved proud results in both effectively responding to external risks and challenges, maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, ensuring major balances, promoting growth, firmly consolidating national defense and security, and creating a peaceful and stable environment for development; recognized by the international community, notably the results of implementing the SDGs, impressive figures on digital transformation and innovation.

The delegates also highlighted Vietnam's achievements in implementing the SDGs. Specifically, Vietnam has made much progress in ensuring social security. That is, the multidimensional poverty rate has been sharply reduced; the coverage of essential health services has been increased, the rate of households with clean water sources has been increased, the rate of households with access to the national grid, the rate of access to energy, and mobile phone coverage; Forest cover has been maintained and increased gradually over the years. The proportion of female National Assembly deputies in the 2016-2021 and 2021-2026 terms is 27.31% and 30.26%, respectively, higher than the global average (23.4%) and that of Asia (18.6%). Vietnam continues to strongly implement its commitments on climate change through the development and implementation of national strategies and action plans on green growth and climate change adaptation. Vietnam is also one of the countries that committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at COP 26. Vietnam has established relations with 30 important partners, including 17 strategic partners and 13 comprehensive partners. In the 2016-2020 period, the export growth rate increased by an average of 10.5% per year. The size of Vietnam's economy exceeded the 400 billion USD mark for the first time with a growth rate of 8.02% in 2022, the highest since 1997; it is a safe investment destination and for the first time was included by UNCTAD in the list of the top 20 countries attracting FDI in the world with more than 34,000 projects, total registered capital reaching more than 430 billion USD. According to the global ranking on SDGs implementation, in general, Vietnam has made quite good progress since 2015. In particular, the ranking on SDGs implementation has improved, bringing Vietnam from 88th in 2016 to 55th in 2022. Regarding digital transformation and innovation, in recent years, Vietnam has made significant progress in improving global innovation indexes, ranking 48/132 countries and economies in innovation and is among the group of countries that have made the greatest progress in the past decade (up more than 20 places), is one of the 5 countries with the most developed innovation ecosystem in the region and ranked 54th in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is approaching the top 100 most dynamic innovative startup cities in the world with the 111th rank. Vietnam currently has 4 unicorns (startups valued at 1 billion USD or more) including VNG, VNLife, MoMo and Sky Mavis, along with many potential startups that are likely to become technology unicorns in the near future. At the same time, Vietnam has made many efforts to improve the business and investment environment, promote the development of the national innovation ecosystem, with many mechanisms, policies, strategies and programs issued such as the Investment Law 2020; Law on Support for Small and Medium Enterprises; Government Decrees stipulating mechanisms and preferential policies on national innovation, which have played an important role in promoting the development of the digital economy, green and sustainable economy in Vietnam. The delegate added that the above outstanding achievements are the result of the strong efforts and determination of the entire political system with the contribution, active participation and consensus of the whole society in the process of implementing sustainable development goals, promoting digital transformation and innovation. In particular, the National Assembly of Vietnam is the agency playing a central role, demonstrated in four outstanding aspects. Firstly, the legislative role of the National Assembly of Vietnam has been strengthened and promoted towards perfecting the legal system and policy mechanisms to ensure a complete legal framework for implementing sustainable development goals and improving the effectiveness of state management of national sustainable development, while at the same time, creating all necessary conditions to support the acceleration of digital transformation and promote the national innovation network. Secondly, ensuring the effective use of public resources through the allocation of medium-term and annual budgets, with a special focus on vulnerable groups in society. Third , implement annual thematic monitoring activities on the implementation of sustainable development goals in ministries, branches and localities, enhance people's representation, convey people's voices in monitoring state activities and create more favorable conditions for people and communities to participate in the process of law and policy making. Fourth, continuously innovate the organization and operation of the National Assembly with the goal of building an increasingly professional and effective National Assembly in all areas of operation, meeting the requirements and demands of the country's development in the coming period. The delegate expressed his hope that young parliamentarians will join hands and actively contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through digital transformation and innovation on a global scale. Promoting digital technology development, ensuring sustainable development. Believing that one of the important solutions to achieve the SDGs is to gather the power of digital technology, ITU Deputy Secretary General Tomas Lamanauska stated that digital technology has proven its power, changing the lives of billions of people around the world for the better. Digital technology creates changes in work, economy, the way health services and other services are used. Digital technology also has great potential to help us address the consequences of the climate change crisis, through monitoring the Earth's climate through satellites, smart sensor networks, supporting industries, increasing efficiency in the fields of transportation, smart agriculture, early warning of natural disasters, etc. Digital technology has become indispensable in today's life.

However, the ITU Deputy Secretary-General also noted that 1/3 of humanity is not yet connected to the Internet, which is the mission set for the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - UNESCO, to promote safe and sustainable global access. Especially the role of young parliamentarians, the generations that take on the responsibility of leading the future of the country. The ITU Deputy Secretary-General said, "75% of people aged 25-24 use the Internet and many of them have been making positive changes with technology, but not all young people have the same opportunities, especially in less developed countries. UNESCO's report during the Covid-19 pandemic shows that the rapid transition to online learning has caused at least half a billion students worldwide, most of whom are poor and rural, to miss out on their education." In addition, the development of emerging technologies such as AI is affecting many areas of life, catching up with the digital gap is becoming more necessary than ever. The Deputy Secretary-General of ITU added that AI contributes to promoting the implementation of the SDGs, towards digital infrastructure, ensuring safe and sustainable access with low-cost devices and low prices. We encourage and support investment in sustainable development, increasing the use of digital skills, and digital investment startups. At the same time, we address digital inequality, to ensure that everyone can share the opportunities from connectivity, regardless of where they live or their age. That is why we have the Generation Connect initiative - This initiative quickly attracted countries from all over the world to participate. Of course, we cannot ignore and cannot fail to mention the risks of digital technology such as digital transformation requiring increasing demand for energy supply for networks and data centers, increasing waste - expected to double by 2025; inequality in access to digital technology... These are issues that need continued attention and solutions. The digital world is developing and young parliamentarians in particular, and the young generation in general, have a very important role in promoting digital technology development and ensuring sustainable development - the ITU Secretary General emphasized.

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