According to VNA, within the framework of the 57th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Switzerland, on September 18 (local time), the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to development - Mr. Surya Deva - had a dialogue with countries about his activities in the past year.
Regarding his visit to Vietnam from November 9-15, 2023, Mr. Surya Deva affirmed that he had witnessed Vietnam's impressive progress in economic development and implementation of social security programs.
He also affirmed that Vietnam has made significant progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in many areas such as poverty reduction, access to clean water and sanitation, resilient infrastructure development and innovation. He also highly appreciated the Vietnamese Government's multidimensional approach to poverty reduction.
Speaking at the dialogue, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam in Geneva, affirmed Vietnam's consistent policy in promoting and protecting human rights, including the right to development. Vietnam always puts people at the center of all development strategies, as the subject, driving force and beneficiary.
Vietnam does not sacrifice the environment for economic development. This is also what the Special Rapporteur on the right to development directly witnessed and heard during his visit to Vietnam.
Vietnam believes that the visit was successful and highly appreciates the constructive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, creating favorable conditions for information exchange on the realization of the right to development and the Sustainable Development Goals in Vietnam.
Vietnam also highly appreciated the Special Rapporteur's positive views on Vietnam's achievements, commitments and vision in comprehensive national development, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, eradicating poverty, developing resilient infrastructure, promoting innovation and ensuring people's participation, contributions and benefits in the development process.
Ambassador Mai Phan Dung emphasized that Vietnam always attaches importance to creating conditions for people to participate and contribute to all policy making and implementation processes.
Ambassador Mai Phan Dung also affirmed Vietnam's commitment to sustainable development, including prioritizing investment in human resources, science and technology and innovation; improving infrastructure; developing a green and circular economy; enhancing resilience to natural disasters and climate change; perfecting socialist-oriented market institutions; promoting public administration reform; promoting the participation of vulnerable groups in decision-making; continuing to reform the social security system to enhance community resilience and support vulnerable groups; stabilizing macroeconomic foundations; mobilizing and effectively using financial resources for sustainable development; improving the availability of data to enhance monitoring of progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals; and mobilizing all stakeholders and working with partners to achieve the Goals for all by 2030.
Finally, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung affirmed his support for the Special Rapporteur on the right to development and wished to continue cooperating with the United Nations human rights mechanisms in the coming time.
