Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ attends a seminar on the multi-dimensional review of Việt Nam in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Trúc Hà

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) held an inaugural seminar on the multi-dimensional review of Việt Nam in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn highly appreciated the support of the OECD in kickstarting this important review.

Jan Rielaender, head of Multi-dimensional Country Reviews (MDCR) for the OECD, said that through the review, Việt Nam will have an opportunity to learn from the experience and knowledge of other countries’ reform processes, while the other 53 member nations of the OECD will also gain a better understanding of Việt Nam and learn from its successes and challenges, as well as share their know-how.

He recommended that Việt Nam take on its sustainable development goals as an important target which must be achieved by 2030. Each nation should map out its own path and define its most important targets, he suggested.

World Bank Country Director for Việt Nam Ousmane Dione evaluated Việt Nam as having the most encouraging development steps in the world since its reforms process began.

The rapid growth of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018 is also a good signal for Việt Nam, he said.

He suggested Việt Nam further develop the private economic sector; build on its national reform capacity; increase resilience to climate change; develop a modernised institutional system; connect domestic and foreign businesses; create a more favourable business environment; and promote innovation.

Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ hailed the OECD for actively coordinating with the Vietnamese Government, ministries, and sectors to soon inaugurate the multi-dimensional review of Việt Nam, which is important to the building of the Việt Nam development strategy through 2030 with a vision to 2045.

According to Huệ, besides promoting economic growth, Việt Nam also pays special attention to developing other social fields which enables the public to join the nation’s socio-economic development.

For a long time, budget collection has only increased by 10-12 per cent, while the state budget expenditure for social security activities has reached 23-25 per cent.

The Deputy PM cited the UN Development Programme’s report in 2018 which stated that Việt Nam had made a lot of progress in human development and multi-dimensional poverty reduction. The country’s human development index (HDI) had increased consecutively for the past 27 years.

The multi-dimensional review of Việt Nam should point out which areas are bottlenecks in the development of Việt Nam and share new emerging development trends in the world, he suggested.

Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ said at a reception for Jan Rielaender, head of the MDCR Unit in Hà Nội yesterday that the Vietnamese Government supported the implementation of the Multi-Dimensional Country Review (MDCR), considering it an important task that required the engagement of experts and scientists.

The Government had instructed relevant ministries and agencies to co-ordinate with the OECD in building the review, he said.

Huệ told his guest that Viet Nam was preparing for the 13th National Party Congress, and Vietnamese leaders were aiming to set out visions for the country beyond the next ten years. 

Việt Nam wanted to take into account international views on its target of becoming a modern industrialised or developed nation, he said, noting that this was the key for building the national strategy. 

The official highlighted the Việt Nam 2035 Report, which was compiled with support from the World Bank, and initiatives started by the Government and Prime Minister. 

Việt Nam was also completing a strategy to attract foreign investment while implementing a strategy for the development of agriculture, rural areas and farmers, Huệ said. 

For his part, Rielaender spoke highly of Việt Nam’s plan to 2035 with a vision towards 2045, suggesting strategies and policies aimed at improving the capacity of local businesses amidst strong scientific and technological development. He said he would study further to give more in-depth assessments and recommendations for Việt Nam. - VNS