Farmers in northern Điện Biên Province check quality of macadamia nuts after harvest. Growing macadamia trees is one of effective models helping to reduce poverty in the province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is expected to achieve five out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and global partnerships, according to the National Report on the five-year-implementation of Vietnam Sustainable Development Goals.

The report was released by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Hà Nội on Thursday.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc said the SDG National Report 2020 was drafted to evaluate the progress of the five-year implementation of the SDGs in Việt Nam and to anticipate the possibility of achieving SDGs by 2030.

The report has made important contributions to the SDG database and SDG implementation monitoring and evaluation process.

Throughout the drafting process, the ministry received constructive inputs from relevant ministries, sectors, national and international organisations, and United Nations agencies in Việt Nam, and technical support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Hanns Seidel Foundation from Germany.

Lê Việt Anh, Director of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, said Việt Nam would be likely to achieve five out of 17 VSDGs by 2030 but it would face multiple challenges to achieve the remaining 12, particularly SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 14 - Life Below Water.

The remaining 10 SDGs that will still face difficulties in completion include Goal 3 on healthy life and well-being; Goal 5 on gender equality; Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation; Goal 7 on affordable and clean energy; Goal 8 on economic growth and decent work; Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure; Goal 10 on reduction of social inequality; Goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities; Goal 15 on protection and sustainable development of forest and biodiversity conservation; and Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

He said the possibility of achieving SDGs by 2030 had been forecast based on official statistics collected up to the end of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the pandemic's significant and adverse impacts on social and economic development, it may undermine or even reverse the achievements to date and change all forecasts, according to Anh.

As such, Việt Nam should strive to turn challenges into actions and opportunities, and better engagement of relevant stakeholders to maintain the successes achieved to date and ensure the achievements of the remaining SDGs by 2030.

The report provides a foundation for relevant ministries, sectors and local entities, as well as important inputs for strategic directions of development partners in their support to Việt Nam's SDG implementation.

At global level, Việt Nam's ranking on the SDGs performance has continuously improved in the period from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, Việt nam was ranked 49th out of 166 countries in the Sustainable Development index, which is five places up compared to the 2019 ranking. — VNS