Vice President addresses ECOSOC meeting

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh addressed a high-level segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on July 18, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in developing thinking.

In her speech, she affirmed the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – are interlinked and interdependent, and that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can only be achieved successfully in an environment of peace and security on the basis of respect for international law.

“I believe that the SDGs must be aligned with and integrated into the development strategies and policies of all nations,” she said.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh

She hailed the theme “no-one left behind”, saying it reflects the resolve of the international community in turning global commitments into actions to achieve concrete outcomes. The theme it is an ethical imperative of the 2030 Agenda and calls for the support from the community to the disadvantaged and the less fortunate, and institute justice in life and in society, the Vice President added.

As a war-devastated country that was faced with the risk of being left behind, Vietnam has done its utmost to find a way to move forward, she shared.

“In the formulation and implementation of policies, we always place our people at the center and consider the people as the driving force for development,” she said, adding special attention is paid to the most vulnerable.

She affirmed Vietnam will contribute actively to the work of ECOSOC, first and foremost, by implementing the 2030 Agenda with our highest political commitment.

The same day, Vice President Thinh, together with the Norwegian Prime Minister, the President of the UN General Assembly, the UN Vice General Secretary and New York authorities, attended an exhibition on the environment.

On the sidelines of the meeting, she met with officials of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific, during which they discussed building a roadmap implementing the 2030 Agenda within the ESCAP framework.