Farmers harvest tea in Phu Tho Province. Việt Nam must prepare a detailed action plan to successfully reduce poverty and improve gender equality, education, food security, climate change adaptation and long-term equitable economic growth as committed with the world community. — Photo tuyengiao.vn

HÀ NỘI — In order to successfully reduce poverty and improve gender equality, education, food security, climate change adaptation and long-term equitable economic growth as committed with the world community, Việt Nam must prepare a detailed action plan.

This was the message delivered yesterday by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Nguyễn Thế Phương, at a workshop in Hà Nội that brought together representatives of ministries, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations, research institutes, political and social organisations, province-level agencies and the private sector.

“Implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a common business of every one,” he said, calling for responsible contribution of all stakeholders and individuals to ensure that a highly practical and feasible National Action Plan (NAP) is developed.

UNDP Country Director Louise Chamberlain agreed that “Việt Nam’s SDGs need to be owned by all people, all ethnic groups, women as well as men, and those who are socially excluded. This further emphasises the need for partnerships with civil society, the private sector, communities and citizens - this applies in target setting, planning, implementation efforts and monitoring and evaluation – and requires voluntary and active participation.”

The UN agencies are committed to do its part and to offer experiences, technical expertise, and development solutions to support Việt Nam during this process, she said.

The consultant workshop on a draft NAP to implement 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the lead agency for sustainable development in Việt Nam.

Phương said the draft NAP was developed based on key development policies, strategies and plans of Việt Nam in order to provide a guidance framework for sustainable development goals and coordinate among different stakeholders in implementing them. This NAP will play a role as the legal basis for Việt Nam to fulfil its commitment to the international community, and to responsibly contribute to the global common efforts to achieve sustainable development, he said.

Nguyễn Lệ Thủy, deputy head of the MPI’s Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment, said that draft NAP contains 17 SDGs and 115 targets, including goals on poverty reduction, gender equality, education, food security, climate change adaptation, sustainable economic growth. The plan also assigns tasks to stakeholders to effectively implement the goals over the next 14 years.

Thủy said that the MPI plans to set up a fund supporting sustainable growth to mobilise internal and external resources.

The blueprint will be submitted to the  Prime Minister by the end of this month. It will be discussed at the 14th National Assembly’s third session in May next year.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted at the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York. The SDGs build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals and aims to go further to end all forms of poverty. — VNS