National Council discusses 20 years of sustainability

HA NOI — The National Council for Sustainable Development and Improving Competitiveness convened its first meeting in Ha Noi yesterday.

The 41-member council was set up under the Prime Minister's decision dated May 31 this year, to advise the Government and the Prime Minister on policies, programmes and measures that promote sustainable development and improve competitiveness.

The delegates discussed regulations for the council's organisation and operations for successfully realising the nation's Sustainable Development Strategy during the 2011-20 period.

At the meeting, a representative from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) gave a run down of Viet Nam's performance when trying to achieve its sustainable development goals over the past two decades.

The ministry reported that at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last month, many overseas partners committed themselves to continue supporting Viet Nam in implementing its strategy for green growth and sustainable development.

The support would be provided in suitable models of co-operation, such as official development assistance and public-private-partnerships.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, the council's chairman, asked the MPI to lay out the criteria for assessing the country's competitiveness, based on international competitive norms, by August 30.

The council will hold a second meeting in October. — VNS