The forum creates a platform for policymakers, non-governmental organisations, businesspeople, and experts at home and abroad to exchange ideas to promote economic growth and a sustainable society.
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Le Quang Manh, said Vietnam needs more effective solutions to address sustainable issues in the fields of human resources, climate change adaptation, smart agriculture, environment, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Promoting sustainable development is not only about economic development, but also the settlement of social issues and environmental protection,” he said.
In 2018, Vietnam recorded the region’s highest GDP growth at 7.08% as well as a trade surplus of US$7.21 billion, tripling that of 2017.
The agricultural sector posted the highest growth in the past seven years with an export turnover of US$40.02 billion. Vietnam has become a middle-income country with the rate of poverty declining from over 60% in 1986 to around 7% at present.
The scale of the economy has increased more than 17.4 times from US$14 billion in 1985 to US$244 billion in 2018. The average income per capita rose to nearly US$2,540 from US$230 in 1985.
Manh said the implementation of the national socio-economic development strategy in 2011-2020 will bring enormous benefits to the country’s sustainable development, including the improvement of biodiversity, the reduction of environmental pollution, and a more responsible use of natural resources.
Nguyen Duc Khuong, Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global), said rapid and sustainable growth greatly depends on the quantity and quality of human resources, especially as science-technology and innovation play key roles in creating added value.
He added that human resources are the decisive factor in labour and capital productivity. A strategy focusing on the quality of human resources will help Vietnam gain access to sustainable development trends and digital transformation, he said.
Caitlin Wiesen, Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, spoke highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements gained in 2018, including accomplishments in poverty reduction.
She stressed the need to ensure sustainable growth through the integration of economic development with social welfare.
Vietnam needs to work towards promoting innovation and protecting the environment, as well as applying green and modern technologies, she suggested.
