Hanoi (VNA) – A conference onthe role of parliament in the implementation of the Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) was organised in both in-person format and via videoconference on April 6.

The event was held by the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA)'s Committeefor External Relations, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Addressing the conference, Standing ViceChairman of the NA Tran Thanh Man said sustainabledevelopment is an urgent need and also an inevitable trend in the developmentprocess of every country.

To Vietnam, fast and sustainabledevelopment is viewed as a focal task and a target of all socio-economicdevelopment policies, he noted.

During the performance of this task,the country’s parliament has played an important role in institutional buildingand completion for sustainable development in terms of economy, politics,culture, society, and the environment.

TheNA has also reinforced cooperation with international partners to increase the sharing of experience; actively taken part in multilateral and regionalparliamentary cooperation mechanisms so as to boost the realisation of commitmentsrelated to sustainable development and climate change; and contributedproposals to enhance actions by countries’ parliaments towards sustainabledevelopment, according to Man.

Deputy Minister of Planning andInvestment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said the COVID-19 pandemic has considerablyaffected Vietnam’s implementation of the SDGs, but the country has sustainedefforts and continued to make some substantial strides.

However, it is still facing manydifficulties and challenges in upholding the obtained achievements to achievethe SDGs by 2030, she pointed out.

In his remarks, IPU Secretary-GeneralMartin Chungong affirmed that parliaments have a crucial role to play in realisingthe SDGs, ensuring supervision, and promoting strong actions by governments.

He added the COVID-19 pandemic hascaused severe impacts on every socio-economic aspect and been the heaviestburden on vulnerable groups. Given this, it is necessary to perfect policiesand laws that concurrently meet domestic requirements and internationalcommitments, are connected with the SDGs, and guarantee equality for allgroups, especially vulnerable ones, so that no one is left behind.

During that process, parliamentariansare important to helping ensure proper priorities associated with sustainabledevelopment commitments, as well as close coordination in the implementation ofconcrete targets, he said./.