Hanoi (VNA) - A consultative workshop on the research report “Implementing sustainabledevelopment goals (SDGs) in Vietnam and the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative”was held in Hanoi on May 17 by the Towards Transparency (TT) organisation.

It was part of activities in the project to promote the implementation of OGP initiative in the country funded by the Belgian Ministry of ForeignAffairs and the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam.

Christian Brix Moller, a representative from the Embassy of Denmark, in his openingspeech, revealed that all member countries of OGP are using the initiative as atool to improve the national governance efficiency, and increase public confidencein their commitment to promoting publicity, transparency, accountability and corruptioncombat, towards bringing prosperity for the countries and their people.

According to TT’s Executive Director Nguyen Thi Kieu Vien, OGP is verynecessary as it can support the Government and relevant sides in effectively performingVietnam’s development goals.

The OGP promotion group in Vietnam under the coordination of TT is working tofind the relationship between SDGs and OGP in order to provide more informationabout benefits brought by OGP on the way to reach SDGs in the country for the VietnameseGovernment and relevant parties.

The workshop offered a chance for TT to listen to opinions on the main outcomesand initial recommendations, helping the group to continue completing thereport in the coming time.

According to the report, corruption is the serious issue inVietnam, which draws special attention of the Vietnamese Party and State.

This poses an urgent need for building and strengthening goodgovernance institutions and enhancing anti-corruption work in the country.

In May 2017, the Government affirmed its strong commitment to achieving SDGs throughapproving the National Action Plan for the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Initiated in 2011, OGP is the most prominent international initiative topromote transparency and accountability, and encourage public involvement inState management activities.

This multilateral international institution has strongly appealed to bothdeveloped and developing countries.

The approach and principles of OGP are very close to andcompatible with SDGs, especially those on good governance and transparentinstitutions in promoting accountability for a peaceful, equitable, andinclusive development society.

Le Dang Doanh, member of the Development Policy Committee of the UN, said thereport has shown the compatibility of major orientations, resolutions and lawsof Vietnam with the principles of OGP.

The report should give deeper analysis and complete assessments of difficultiesand barriers, helping Vietnam join the initiative in a practical manner, hesaid.-VNA