The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is willing to continue working closely and accompanying Viet Nam, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner told Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the UN, at a meeting on April 7. (Photo: VOV)

During the meeting, Steiner showed his appreciation of the deep and meaningful cooperation relationship between Viet Nam and the UN in general and with UNDP in particular.

Amid challenges related to politics and security currently, countries around the world should focus on development issues, including the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said.

He affirmed the central role played by the UN in supporting countries in terms of knowledge, technique, and capacity enhancement to carry out the agenda, and strategies and plans at regional and national levels.

For his part, Ambassador Giang thanked UNDP for its valuable support for Viet Nam in recent years in post-Covid-19 economic recovery, climate change, mine action, and implementing Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council.

Viet Nam will always support UNDP's efforts in development issues, he affirmed, stressing that the Southeast Asian nation is willing to involve deeply in UNDP's policy-making and development assistance efforts in the region.

During the meeting, the two sides also focused their discussion on areas where the two sides can expand cooperation such as climate change response, energy transition, poverty reduction, marine economy development and post-pandemic recovery.