On March 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed Vietnam’s commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the nation's support for cooperation partners at a UN meeting in Hanoi.
The partnership and cooperation based on mutual respect and benefit among landlocked developing countries and transit nations is the way to secure prosperity in the future, he stated.
The Deputy PM noted that after 30 years of reform, Vietnam has acknowledged the importance of trade and investment to economic growth and poverty reduction.
The country is now a member of the World Trade Organisation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum and many free trade agreements, which helps the country get better access to markets in the world and spur its socio-economic development.
Vietnam always sticks great importance to boosting relations, including economic connectivity, with its neighbouring countries, Minh said, noting that their success and prosperity will create positive impacts on Vietnam’s growth and ensure sustainability for the whole region.
Minh used this occasion to thank the UN for its support to Vietnam in gaining socio-economic achievements, adding that Vietnam has contributed remarkably to the UN’s work over the past 40 years and pledged to work harder in the field.
At the event, Gyan Chandra Acharya, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), stressed that there should be the engagement of many countries, ODA implementation tools, and mobilization of domestic investment, technology and capacity building to realise the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,
Trade plays an important role and acts as a tool in the implementation of the agenda, which is seen as a motivation of economic growth and poverty reduction, he stressed.
Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), stressed the importance of strengthening trade facilitation programmes and building a legal framework on transit. He also highlighted the need to share experience and effective policies and initiatives in sustainable development.
Hongbu Wu, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, stated that sustainable transportation is the key to sustainable growth and economic integration while ensuring environmental protection.
Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said that landlocked countries are dependent on exports with low added value due to high costs and trade losses resulted from their poor access to sea transportation.
He suggested that the landlocked and transit countries should foster cooperation with priority placed on creating chances for international transportation access.
Umberto de Pretto, Secretary-General of the International Road Transport Union, held that it is necessary to turn landlocked countries into road-linked nations through road networks connecting remote villages to international markets.
Jointly held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN-OHRLLS, the meeting has six discussions on a range of issues on transit, trade facilitation and implementation the 2030 Agenda.
Participants are also expected to seek measures to promote cooperation in customs among landlocked and transit nations, and creating favourable conditions for trade and investment as well as construction of trans-national transit systems and attract more investment in building necessary bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks in the field.
