UNDG Resident Representatives meet in Hanoi
(VOV) - Vietnam is willing to do everything it can to facilitate the UN Development Group (UNDG)’s success.
Hai said he hopes Vietnam’s achievements and experiences in cooperating with development partners—including the UNDG—over the past 40 years will inspire conference attendees.
He urged delegates to note and take heart from Vietnam’s remarkable recovery and indefatigable efforts after many years of war and poverty.
Deputy PM Hai acknowledged Vietnam’s honour to host the 26 national representatives attending the event.
The meeting allows the UNDG to assess the results of its previous initiatives and devise its future approaches—especially important as UN 2015 Millennium Development Goal deadlines draw near.
UNDG Chair Helen Clark praised Vietnam's socio-economic development and economic stability. She noted the country’s impressive progress towards fulfilling its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in poverty reduction and education. Vietnam has halved its poverty rate since 1993 and halved it again during the 2002–2008 period.
Vietnam was ranked sixth-highest in MDG progress in 2010 and actively involves itself in a range of UN programmes contributing to the development goals
Ms Clark commended Vietnam on its UNDG participation and encouraged its leadership in Asia-Pacific poverty reduction initiatives. She emphasised the need to refocus on the most pressing development priorities and emerging challenges.
She outlined future UN priorities in the Asia-Pacific region, committing support to Vietnam’s green growth strategy and its efforts to realise gender equality and protect and promote the rights of women.
Conference delegates analysed the effectiveness of an initiative designed to promote unified actions within the UN organisational network.
They also debated the UNDG’spost-2015 agenda and the regional Asia-Pacific strategic plan for the 2014–2017 period.
The conference will help the UNDG tailor its policies and programmes to nations’ demands in a region of constantly increasing global importance.
The UNDG Resident Representatives meeting concludes on November 9.