Viet Nam News Shamshad Akhtar, Bambang Susantono, Haoliang Xu* Discussions at the Fifth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development last week renewed focus on how best to build resilience among countries in the face of emerging risks, informed by insights from a new report from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed extraordinary development progress in recent decades. It has seen improvements in access to health care, education, water, and energy and a significant overall reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty. Complex change puts development progress at risk. Against this backdrop, hard-won gains risk being reversed in a region that is already vulnerable to myriad shocks and stresses. Inequality and climate change are major threats to continued development progress in a region that is also being … [Read more...] about Strengthening resilience key to sustainable development in Asia-Pacific
Commission on sustainable development
Vietnam contributes to sustainable development in Mekong River
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will attend the third Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from April 4th-5th at the invitation of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (Photo: VNA) The event, themed “Joint Efforts and Partnership towards Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Mekong”, will create an opportunity for countries to review the operation of the MRC over the past four years and work to realise sustainable development goals. Vietnam has actively participated in regional and international organisations such as the MRC, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the United Nations (UN), the World Water Forum (WWF), the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the International Rivers (IR) as well as enhanced cooperation with department partners such as the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance effective … [Read more...] about Vietnam contributes to sustainable development in Mekong River
Corporate Governance towards Sustainable Development
Sustainability is no longer an ambiguous concept but it is closely tied to each activity of the business. Wherein, corporate governance is defined as a core element to ensure effective growth and long-term sustainable development for each business. According to a report released by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in 2014, the medium score of corporate governance in Vietnam was 35.1, much lower than that in Thailand (84.5), Malaysia (75.2), Singapore (70.7) or Indonesia (57.3). In 2015, Vietnam had no presence in the Top 50 best-governed listed companies in ASEAN. This included only listed companies - more advanced ones in the economy. And, if unlisted companies were taken into account, the picture of corporate governance would have been worse. Explaining this reality, Mr Phan Duc Hieu, Vice Chairman of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), said, the first and foremost reason lies in the perception and low awareness of … [Read more...] about Corporate Governance towards Sustainable Development
Vietnam commits to carry out strategy of sustainable development
Carrying out sustainable development is not just a commitment to international communities but also indicative of the determination and expectation of the Vietnamese government and people. It is manifested through strategic guidelines on sustainable development and establishment of the National council on sustainable development. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Bich Dat affirmed this in her speech delivered at the 15th high-level meeting of UN Commission for Sustainable Development. Vietnam's four major areas widely discussed at the meeting were energy policy for sustainable development, industrial development, pollution of the atmosphere and air, and climate change. Regarding these four issues, Deputy Minister Nguyen Bich Dat stressed the Vietnamese government has adopted a national strategy on energy saving and effective use of energy in the 2006 and 2015 periods. He said implementation of the strategy will not only bring people social-economic benefits, but also … [Read more...] about Vietnam commits to carry out strategy of sustainable development
Enhancing co-operation with partners and contributing to sustainable development goals
NDO – On the occasion of the conclusion of a tour by President Truong Tan Sang and his entourage to attend the United Nations (UN) Summit for the adoption of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development in New York, and to pay an official visit to Cuba, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc granted an interview to the press.Q: What can you say about the importance and outcomes of the UN Summit for the adoption of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development in New York? What contributions did the Vietnamese delegation make to the summit?A: The summit was the largest and the most important global conference on development since the 2000 UN Summit to adopt the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The summit aimed at building a new global agenda for the next 15 years (2016-2030) to replace MDGs set for the 2000-2015 period. It was even more significant as it coincided with the 70th anniversary of the UN’s establishment, posing an opportunity for members to review the … [Read more...] about Enhancing co-operation with partners and contributing to sustainable development goals