(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam is a key partner of the UN in general and of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in particular, with great contributions to human development and sustainable growth in recent years, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.
 UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner meets General Secretary and President To Lam at the UN General Assembly’s 79th session in New York. (Photo: UNDP) |
He underlined that Vietnam’s active participation in multilateral forums is crucial to shaping inclusive global policies, and its partnership with the UNDP has also enhanced the country's leadership in addressing regional and global development priorities.
Commenting on Vietnam’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, Steiner said that Vietnam has gained remarkable results in realizing long-standing commitments to poverty reduction and universal health care, education and essential infrastructure, especially in rural and remote areas. It has recorded an average annual growth rate of over 6% in the 2020-2024 period. Since 1990, the poverty rate has dropped sharply and extreme poverty was almost eliminated in 2020, he noted.
Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) rose nearly 50% from 1990 to 2022, bringing it into the group of countries with high levels of human development.
Regarding General Secretary and President To Lam’s attendance at the UN General Assembly’s 79th session, the UNDP Administrator said it reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for the world’s largest multilateral organisation and the nation’s positive contributions to the UN’s initiatives such as peacekeeping activities, climate actions, SDGs, and the freshly adopted Pact for the Future.