Vietnam publishes report documenting Millennium Development Goal progress

Vietnam recently published a report tracking its progress towards the U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, which outlines the health ministry's work with other government and international agencies, Vietnam News reports.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh said Vietnam is one of the first countries to integrate the MDGs into its own socio-economic development plan. At an event to mark the release of the report, Vietnam made seven proposals to expedite the achievement of the MDGs by 2015.

Vietnam News writes, "There was a remarkable reduction in child and maternal mortality rates and goals are expected to be reached before 2015," but the country still needs to achieve MDGs related to "combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, as well as ensuring environmental sustainability."

Nguyen Tu Nhat, the ministry’s deputy head of the National Economy Department and project director, said that Vietnam has made "important achievements in the eradication of extreme hunger and poverty with significant declines in poverty and hunger incidence." He also called "for the sharing of experiences as well as further support from developed countries through official development assistance, technology assistance, open and clear mechanism."

Nhat highlighted the role that international financial organizations, donors and U.N. organizations can play in supporting developing countries with capital, technology, commercial development and global labor cooperation.

Christopher Bahuet, the U.N. development program's deputy country director, said the report "demonstrates Vietnam's commitment and efforts to move towards meeting goals."

He said U.N. operations in Vietnam will "work with the government, the people and other interested partners" in order to achieve the MDGs. He added that he also plans to work with all "stakeholders on the monitoring of progress and use the findings for planning and policy making" (Vietnam News, 6/3).