Towards Sustainable Development Goals

This information was shared at the Consultation Workshop on the draft National Action Plan for Implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Hanoi by the representative of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the agency assigned by the Government to lead coordination of all stakeholders for Agenda 2030’s implementation in Vietnam.

 

The workshop’s goal was to inform all stakeholders of the development of the National Action Plan for Implementation of Agenda 2030 and to engage and mobilise their support in the development and implementation of Action Plan. Participants in the seminar included representatives of ministries and agencies, the National Assembly, development partners, national and international nongovernmental organisations, research institutes, mass organisations and others.

 

Action Plan Draft proposes a list of Vietnam’s Sustainable Development Goals (VSDGs), together with the government’s viewpoint, solutions, implementation and specific actions to reach VSDGs by 2030. 

 

Mr Nguyen The Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, said, “The Ministry of Planning and Investment is currently finalising the draft National Action Plan for submission to the Prime Minister for promulgation. When approved, the National Action Plan will provide a guidance framework of sustainable development goals for Vietnam by 2030 and to define activities and responsibilities of, and coordination among different stakeholders in implementing the sustainable development goals for the country. This National Action Plan will be the legal basis for Vietnam to fulfil its commitments to the international community, thus contributing responsibly to global efforts for sustainable development”.

 

Agenda 2030 introduces vision, orientation of implementation method, global partnerships and actions to realise sustainable development all over the world for the period of 15 coming years. Agenda 2030 was adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015. At the Summit, former President Truong Tan Sang affirmed that Vietnam supported and committed to mobilising all resources, ministries, sectors, localities, organisations, communities and people to successfully implement Agenda 2030 and the SDGs.

Ms Louise Chamberlain, UNDP Resident Representative Ad Interim in Vietnam, said that the SDGs also mark a turning point in global development planning and requires a step change in approach and practice. A business strategy as usual simply will not succeed. The SDGs are much more comprehensive and ambitious than the forerunner MDGs. They are more expansive and more comprehensive, with 17 goals as opposed to eight goals; and call for absolute rather that proportionate improvements, including the eradication of poverty, full equality between the genders, and to leave no community and no one, behind. Delivering on this agenda requires changes in the role and conduct of Governments, specifically mechanisms employed to facilitate development and empower people. In addition to delivering and regulating better, Governments also need to engage, motivate and encourage citizens, business and civil society.

 

She said that four sets of issues need to be addressed in further developing the Action Plan as well as in the steps to follow during its implementation in the coming years. First, the importance of transparent and robust data sources must be emphasised enough. Beyond rigorous measurement is the importance of progressively opening up the space for a diversity of data sources including new approaches as well as drawing more on non-official data sources. The complexity of the sustainable development agenda suggests a revolution in the quality of data and level of disaggregation is needed. This will require further innovation, flexibility and openness on the part of national statistical systems.

 

The second set of issues is the question of target selection and setting, and adoption of a rights-based approach within planning with the aim of attaining equity. The new agenda calls for reaching the furthest first to address inequalities and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. This should include the ethnic minorities, the poor, the marginalised and excluded - but also those at risk - such as the near poor, including informal sector workers, migrants and the elderly.

 

Third, the action plan needs to build a sound basis for the integration of the SDGs within Vietnam’s development plans and policies at all levels, the socioeconomic development strategy to socioeconomic development plan. A key challenge is to address the interconnections, fostering win-wins and managing trade-offs, for example in balancing economic growth with social and environmental development.

 

Fourth, the importance of pursuing an inclusive and participatory approach for ownership and successful delivery of actions to reach the goals is underlined. The VSDGs 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.

 

 Anh Mai