Conference highlights parliament's role in realisation of SDGs

The event was held by the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA)'s Committee for External Relations, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Addressing the conference, Standing Vice Chairman of the NA Tran Thanh Man said sustainable development is an urgent need and also an inevitable trend in the development process of every country.

To Vietnam, fast and sustainable development is viewed as a focal task and a target of all socio-economic development policies, he noted. 

During the performance of this task, the country's parliament has played an important role in institutional building and completion for sustainable development in terms of economy, politics, culture, society, and the environment.

The NA has also reinforced cooperation with international partners to increase the sharing of experience; actively taken part in multilateral and regional parliamentary cooperation mechanisms so as to boost the realisation of commitments related to sustainable development and climate change; and contributed proposals to enhance actions by countries' parliaments towards sustainable development, according to Man.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said the COVID-19 pandemic has considerably affected Vietnam's implementation of the SDGs, but the country has sustained efforts and continued to make some substantial strides.

However, it is still facing many difficulties and challenges in upholding the obtained achievements to achieve the SDGs by 2030, she pointed out.

In his remarks, IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong affirmed that parliaments have a crucial role to play in realising the SDGs, ensuring supervision, and promoting strong actions by governments.

He added the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe impacts on every socio-economic aspect and been the heaviest burden on vulnerable groups. Given this, it is necessary to perfect policies and laws that concurrently meet domestic requirements and international commitments, are connected with the SDGs, and guarantee equality for all groups, especially vulnerable ones, so that no one is left behind.

During that process, parliamentarians are important to helping ensure proper priorities associated with sustainable development commitments, as well as close coordination in the implementation of concrete targets, he said.

(Source: VNA)