Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has launched a series of action plans to realisethe United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs), according to DeputyMinister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong.

Phuong said that Vietnam’s sustainable development viewpoint has beenintegrated in socio-economic development strategies and plans, and concretisedin the National Action Plan promulgated by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in2017, specifying 17 sustainable development goals with 115 targets relevant toVietnam until 2030.

The country’s notable achievement must be in GDP growth, which was 6.7 percent,6.2 percent, and 6.8 percent in 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. Meanwhile,multi-dimensional poverty rate fell from 9.9 percent in 2015 to under 7 percentin 2017, and the health insurance coverage reached 86.4 percent last year.

Regarding education sector, 99 percent of children attended primary school inaccordance with their age during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Two years ago, 93.4 percent of households gained access to hygienic water, and99 percent of families got connection to the national grid.

The rate of internet users in the country was recorded at 54.2 percent of thetotal population in 2017.

In addition, improvement was seen in the management of natural resources andenvironment when forest coverage reached 41.5 percent in 2017.

Vietnam has made giant strides in promoting gender equality in various sectorsof politics, economy, culture, and society, and improving information and lawaccess for local people. Due attention has been given to disadvantageous groupsin society such as the poor, people with disabilities, and ethnic groupsthrough many policies, ensuring that no one is left behind.

However, Phuong said that Vietnam still faces a line-up of formidablechallenges in social affairs, the environment, climate change response,financial resources, connectivity among sectors, and statistics capacity forthe supervision of the implementation of sustainable development goals.

The deputy minister said in the coming time, Vietnam will make concertedefforts to carry out the action plan to promote sustainable economicdevelopment in companion with social progress and fairness, environmentalprotection, effective use of natural resources, and climate change response.

The country will work to build a nation of peace, prosperity, fairness, andsustainability.

“Vietnam commits to continue to be a proactive and responsible member of the internationalcommunity in efforts to ensure that no one is left behind”, Phuongstressed.-VNA