Le Viet Anh, director general of the MPI's Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment

In attendance at the Voluntary National Review (VNR) workshop were delegates from ministries and state agencies; the business and media sectors; and national and international organisations.

The 2030 Agenda was adopted by United Nations member states in September 2015 with a focus on the 17 SDGs. The VNR is a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the agenda on a global scale. VNRs are presented annually to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) of the United Nations. Vietnam first presented a VNR in 2018, and will present a second, along with 41 other countries, later this year.

In his opening remarks, Le Viet Anh, director general of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment at the MPI said, "Vietnam wishes to share our achievements and progress in the implementation of SDGs, to discuss the challenges and lessons learned we encountered in this process and provide orientation for key activities for the remaining half of the journey."

"Participation in VNR 2023 affirms Vietnam's continued commitment to joining the international community in its implementation of SDGs as we move towards a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous world for everyone,” added Viet Anh.

He acknowledged the valuable contributions of national and international stakeholders, especially the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, for their important support in the preparation and completion of the VNR, and the UN for its technical assistance in the drafting of the VNR.

GIZ representative Dennis Quennet, chief technical advisor of the Macroeconomic Reform/Green Growth Programme, remarked that VNRs are critical factors in reviewing and implementing the 2030 Agenda and SDGs for many countries around the world.

"GIZ will continue to collaborate with the MPI by sharing relevant expertise and practices and to ensure that Vietnam achieves sustainable economic growth commitments. This will in turn benefit the country in many ways, such as social justice, better managed and used resources, protected ecological environment, and a more proactive response to climate change,” said Quennet.

Naomi Kitahara, the acting resident coordinator of the UN, showed great appreciation for Vietnam's government and its use of innovative data sources in the development of VNR 2023. She pointed out that investing in social protection and energy transition can greatly accelerate progress towards achieving SDGs.

“The UN estimates that each dollar invested in social security can generate a greater return in GDP, ensuring more socioeconomic benefits, contributing to sustainable and inclusive growth, and leaving no one behind,” said Kitahara.

The UN has encouraged the Vietnamese government to continue developing and implementing follow-up actions to accelerate the implementation of SDGs after the VNR is completed.

Participants also proposed priority areas for SDG implementation in the future and appreciated the efforts of the MPI in preparing for the VNR. Representatives were thankful for the opportunity for all stakeholders to provide input and have their voices heard in the conversation around implementing SDGs by 2030.