VIETNAM

To my fellow heads of state, distinguished delegates, and to evryone, I stand before

you today as a representative of the people of Vietnam. It's been nearly 50 years since
the end of the Vietnam War. With the United Nations’ goal to prevent another war
and promote peace and security, it has played a vital role in resolving conflicts,
providing humanitarian assistance, and establishing the 17 sustainable goals.

Vietnam is a country with a dynamic, young population and a promising future. The
country has made remarkable advancement in recent years as the economy rapidly
grew by 7.0% in 2022, and it is expected to grow by 6.5% in 2023. The main drivers
of economic growth are exports, tourism, and foreign investment. As a major exporter
of agricultural products such as rice, coffee, and seafood, as well as electronics and
garments, Vietnam exercises its competency in negotiating a free trade agreement
with the ASEAN and European Union.

As a result of the war, poverty has always been a major issue in Vietnam. But as of
the past ten years, it has dramatically decreased. Over 10 million people were lifted
out of poverty and the LMIC poverty rate, according to the World Bank, decreased
from 16.8 percent to 5 percent. The abrupt emergence of COVID-19 at the end of the
decade halted job quality and wage growth. The aftermath of COVID-19 caused
poverty to gain 22.13% in recent evaluations, making it the most pressing issue.
Although the pace of poverty reduction slowed in 2020, it did not reverse. Vietnam's
fiscal policy, which aims to foster a strong and diverse middle-class society, is about
average among LMIC economies in terms of aiding in the reduction of inequality. The
right combination of fiscal policy can assist in funding the expenditures required for
the nation and its citizens to become more productive and higher earners, such as
modernizing agriculture, improving skills and enhancing education, strengthening the
digital infrastructure, and ancillary services.

Regardless of the COVID-19 outbreak, Vietnam successfully brought it under

effective control. Between January and April 16, 2020, Vietnam displayed one of the
world's most effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. 99 days went by
without any local transmission cases being reported. There were fewer than 400 cases
of infection nationwide, the majority of which were imported, and zero deaths. With
the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the country
had already put a long-term plan in place to enable it to cope with public health
emergencies, building on its experience dealing with disease outbreaks.

Building a clean, sustainable future for generations is the goal of creating the 17
SDP’s. Vietnam is one of a few emerging nations with policies that enable the
development of green technology sectors in the future. The thorough and continuous
research and refining of policy frameworks and state management mechanisms in the
development of renewable energy is a long-term vision. The creation of Vietnam
Clean Energy Forum serves as a platform for experts, decision-makers, and industry
stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the
development of clean energy in Vietnam. The program aims to increase private sector
involvement in infrastructure development and the provision of energy services, as
well as in the utilization of national resources and the maintenance of a balance for
the safety of electricity system operation.
Moreover, the county greatly highlights the importance of biodiversity to human life
and raises public awareness of conserving and bringing into play biodiversity values
to help with the country’s sustainable development. The plan of action on biodiversity
was issued in 1995. Then in 2013, the national biodiversity strategy by 2020 was
approved with a vision for 2030, folllowing the 2020 Law on Environmental
Protection taking effect in 2022. The national biodiversity strategy by 2030, with a
vision to 2050, had begun at the beginning of the previous year to stop biodiversity
losses. With the concourse of these strategies, we presume the improvement of the
populations of at least 10 endangered species, a slow rate of animal extinction, and the
collection and preservation of 100,000 genetic resources.

The issues that we face today are too great for any one nation to solve alone. There is
a vietnamese proverb that says－ A swallow doesn’t make a spring (một con én
không làm nên mùa xuân). It asserts that contrary to just one bird, it takes the entire
flock of birds working together to attain something. In unity and diversity, we
perceive ourselves as part of the flock of birds that is changing the world.

Thank you.