Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of ForeignAffairs Le Hoai Trung and Kamal Malhotra, UNResident Coordinator in Vietnam, co-chaired a seminar on building the Vietnam– UN development cooperation framework in 2022-2026 in Hanoi on December 2.

During the workshop, the two sides reviewed the implementation of the Vietnam-UN OneStrategic Plan (OSP) forthe 2017-2021period, and proposed orientations, priorities and solutions toenhance the UN’s support to Vietnam to successfully implement its socio-economicdevelopment strategy in the 2021-2030 period, the socio-economic developmentplan in 2021-2025, and the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development.

Trung highlighted the extensive and effective cooperation between Vietnam andthe UN, saying that the OSP 2017-2021 isan important and practical cooperation framework that has assisted the VietnameseGovernment in solving prioritised issues in socio-economic development and implementingthe SDGs, as well as Vietnam’s other important international commitments.

Vietnam will approve a socio-economic development strategy and plan in 2021 -the final year of implementing the OSP 2017-2021,he said.

The two sides are urgently preparing to build a new development cooperationframework, ensuring a close link with national strategies and plans onsocio-economic development, while making better use of comparative advantagesof UN organisations in the new situation, Trung added.

For his part, Malhotra affirmed the UN is committed to supporting Vietnam inits socio-economic development, realising the SDGs, and enhancing its role andposition in the region and the world.

Vietnam always leads the implementation of the UN’s “UnifiedAction” initiative, he said.

In his conclusion, Trung suggested the UN increase policy consultancy, shareknowledge and experience, as well as provide support for Vietnam insocio-economic management, especially economic restructuring andrenovation of growthmodel, infrastructure and urban development, high-quality human resourcesdevelopment in close connection to market demand; green and circular economic development,resilience to climate change and extreme weather, biodiversity protection,water security and sustainable marine economic development, during the processof building a development cooperation framework for the 2022-2026 period.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready to act as a bridge connectingcooperation between Vietnam’s relevant ministries and agencies with the UN inthis matter, he affirmed.

Participants also proposed priority areas for cooperation with the UN,including climate change adaptation, disaster risk mitigation, water resources,and improving living conditions of ethnic minority communities, fighting gender violence,aging population, school hygiene, nutrition for children, digitaltransformation, and sex education.

The OSP2017-2021 is based on the three principles of inclusion, equity andsustainability. It is aligned with the country’s socio-economic developmentstrategy for 2011-2020, socio-economic development plan for 2016-2020, theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as international human rightscommitments of Vietnam.

With an estimated budget of 423 million USD, the OSP 2017-2021 prioritises fourfocal areas shaped on the basis of the key themes of the SDGs (people, planet,prosperity and peace)./.