Viet Nam suggests embracing new sustainability mindset

The Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister made the remark while addressing a session focused on actions towards the millennium goals, with a particular emphasis on Viet Nam's experiences and achievements in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the World Governments Summit 2025 in Dubai, the UAE, February 12.

Pham said that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Summit of the Future of the United Nations 2024 identified vision, affirmed determination and generated global momentum to promote sustainable development for a prosperous future for humanity.

Viet Nam said the Deputy Prime Minister attaches great importance to and has made every effort to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 10 years ahead of the schedule and is continuing to make efforts to implement the SDGs.

From a poor, backward , heavily devastated country after nearly 40 years of war and 30 years of embargo, with the Doi Moi policy, Viet Nam has emerged to become the 33rd largest economy in the world, with an economic scale that has increased about 60 times compared to the pre-Doi Moi period, among the Top 20 countries in terms of trade scale in the world, a successful model in healing and restoring the wounds of war, eliminating hunger and reducing poverty.

Viet Nam took the lead in successfully fulfilling SDGs, especially in poverty reduction, health care, and education.

Viet Nam's Sustainable Development Index (SDI) ranked 54th out of 166 countries, higher than the global average and second in East and South Asia.

The multidimensional poverty rate dropped to about 1.9 percent; average income of workers has increased by about 7.4 percent; the gender gap in education and employment has narrowed significantly; the happiness index jumped 11 notches, ranking 54th out of 143 countries and territories.

Bui treasured the effective support of the international community for Viet Nam in the process of national development. 

He also shared Viet Nam's viewpoint to materialize the SDGs including:

Firstly, maintaining peace and stability are the foundations for future prosperity.

Secondly, new thinking creates a transformative, comprehensive future, focusing on digital transformation, green transformation and global governance transformation.

Hence, Viet Nam will host the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit scheduled on April 16-17, 2025 and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Ministerial Conference in October 2025.

The Deputy Prime Minister hopes to receive support and active participation from countries for these conferences.

Thirdly, governments need to play a pioneering role in connecting, clearing, mobilizing and effectively utilize all resources to serve development in accordance with the needs of each country.

Developing countries actually face a staggering US$4 trillion gap in sustainable development investments to meet the SDGs by 2030. Meanwhile, new investments in sustainable development have fallen by more than 10 percent since 2023 and is on a downward trend.

Fourthly, international cooperation, multilateralism, global, all-people, comprehensive approaches should be promoted to address common challenges, enhancing capacity, effectiveness, future readiness and keeping up with a changing world.

Fifthly, people are the center, the subject, the goal, the driving force and the most important resource of all policies and actions at all levels. Governments need to strengthen cooperation in building common governance standards, ensuring that new technologies serve people and the common prosperity of the whole world.

The World Governments Summit has been held annually by the UAE since 2013, under the patronage of the UAE Vice President and Prime Minister. 

The forum gathers government leaders, executives from major corporations, and scholars to discuss solutions and policies for future governments, technological innovation, and national governance. 

This year's summit attracted over 30 heads of state and government, over 400 ministers, and thousands of industry leaders, scholars, and policymakers from more than 140 countries, alongside representatives from over 80 international, regional, and intergovernmental organizations.

The 2025 World Government Summit explored strategies to enhance government transparency and efficiency, promote sustainable economic growth, strengthen urban resilience to climate change impacts, and ensure healthcare systems are prepared for global challenges./.