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PM issues Directive on sustainable development

VGP – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 20 signed Directive No. 13/CT-TTg on sustainable development, which affirms that sustainable development is a consistent policy of the Party and State of Viet Nam.

May 21, 2019 5:05 PM GMT+7

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The Government issued Viet Nam Agenda 21 in 2004, a sustainable development strategy for 2011-2020 in 2012, and most recently a national action plan on the implementation of Agenda 2030 for sustainable development with 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and 115 specific targets set for Viet Nam from now to 2030, covering economics, social affairs, and the environment.

The viewpoint on sustainable development has been mainstreamed in the 2011-2020 socio-economic development strategy and the 2011-2015 and 2016-2020 socio-economic development plans. Viet Nam has attained sustainable development achievements across the aspects of economics, society and the environment, such as GDP growth rate, sustainable poverty reduction, education universalization, and access to health and healthcare services, the Directive said.

However, it pointed out that many state agencies, units, businesses and people have yet to achieve full and consistent awareness of sustainable development. Meanwhile, socio-economic policies still favor fast economic growth and social stability, and pay inadequate attention to the sustainability in exploitation and use of natural resources as well as environmental protection.

In order to the aforementioned limitations and facilitate the successful implementation of Viet Nam’s SDGs until 2030, the PM asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to coordinate with ministries, sectors, localities and stakeholders to efficiently implement the tasks assigned in the national action plan for the implementation of Agenda 2030.

He directed the MPI to develop and issue instructions on the integration of SDGs into the national socio-economic development plan and guiding the supervision and assessment of SDGs. The ministry was also asked to monitor, supervise and summarize reports on the implementation results of the national action plan implementing Agenda 2030 and SDGs, and submit them to the Government and the National Assembly annually.

The PM asked the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and mass organizations to improve their supervision over the execution of sustainable development goals, focusing on policies and mechanisms to be implemented in ministries, sectors and localities along with encouraging the involvement and contributions of local and foreign organizations, development partners, business community and people in the effort.

The Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Viet Nam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) are required to continue promoting their role in directing and assisting businesses in achieving sustainable development, and consulting the Government solutions to addressing challenges in the public-private partnership (PPP) to get the business community involved in realizing the country’s sustainable development goals.

By Vien Nhu