UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner (L) meets with Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang prior to the launch of the 2023/24 Human Development Report in New York on March 13. (Photo: VNA)

New York – Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Achim Steiner has congratulated Vietnam on many important achievements in human development it has obtained over the recent past.

The UNDP released the 2023/24 Human Development Report, titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a popularised world”, at the UN headquarters in New York on March 13 (local time)

Steiner said at the launch that the world has gradually recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Human Development Index (HDI) has bounced back and stood at the highest-ever level since the report was first released in 1990.

However, he also voiced concern about growing uncertainties and conflicts in several regions, especially the worsening inequality and widening HDI gap between developed and developing countries.

The UNDP expected the new report will serve as a basis for policymakers worldwide to work out appropriate directions and solutions to cope with challenges and continue promoting human development.

In a separate meeting with Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang – Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN – prior to the launch, Steiner congratulated Vietnam on continuing to obtain many important achievements in human development, which has contributed to the international community’s common efforts in settling global challenges and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the latest HDI rankings, Vietnam climbs eight places to the 107th position among the 193 countries and territories, remaining among the developing countries with a high HDI.

The ranking improvement is a result of the Party and State’s effective policies and strong efforts to foster economic recovery, guarantee post-pandemic social security, and create the best possible conditions for the development of Vietnamese people.

The UNDP’s Human Development Report, released every two years, is compiled basing on contributions by many experts from UN agencies, member states, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations. It analyses human development trends and multi-dimensional impacts of the world situation. The HDI is considered one of important criteria for assessing countries’ development and widely used by researchers and policymakers.