Signing Ceremony of the One Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation (CF) between the United Nations and the Government of Viet Nam for the period 2022-2026

• His Excellency Mr Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister for Planning and Investment,
• Representatives from Government ministries,
• Ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic community,
• Representatives from academia, NGOs, other development partners and community-based organizations,
• UN Representatives and colleagues,
• Media Representatives,
• Ladies and gentlemen,

I am excited and very pleased to welcome you all today to the signing ceremony of the One Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation between the United Nations and the Government of Viet Nam for the period 2022-2026, or the ‘CF’ in short.

The CF is the primary strategic document to guide and steer our collaboration. Together with the Government of Viet Nam, we - as the UN, have agreed on how to move closer to realizing the SDGs. As such, the CF is key in guiding how we bring about sustainable development for all in Viet Nam.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The road leading up to this ceremony today was neither easy nor smooth.  We have faced obstacles and delays. Many of these were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The pandemic is a crisis is unprecedented in its reach and consequences. It also presents an unparalleled opportunity for accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as we build back forward from the pandemic. For the UN, the pandemic made us more convinced of the primacy of Leaving No One Behind. The Principle of Leaving No One Behind runs through the CF as the fundamental commitment of the UN in Viet Nam. Ensuring that No One is Left Behind requires a broad, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. I feel confident that we - who are meeting here today - are agents of change, ensuring that Viet Nam can tap into its adaptive, industrious and growing population to spur long-term sustainable development for all, while protecting the planet. The CF also reflects a strong commitment to the principles of human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and the obligations to international standards and treaties.

Developing the CF has been a joint undertaking, and I would like to express our sincere appreciation to MPI, and in particular to H.E Minister Nguyen Chi Dung, for leading the Government’s close engagement with the UN. Armed with knowledge through analysis and inter-disciplinary dialogue, the Government of Viet Nam and the UN have prioritised four development outcomes:

• Inclusive social development, with a focus on inclusive, gender responsive, disability sensitive, equitable, affordable and quality social services and social protection, with the aim of freeing people in Viet Nam from poverty in all its dimensions and empowering people to reach their full potential;

• Climate change response, disaster resilience and environmental sustainability, with a focus on a safer and cleaner environment as a result of Viet Nam’s effective mitigation and adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction and resilience building, promotion of circular economy, the provision of clean and renewable energy, and the sustainable management of natural resources;

• Shared prosperity through economic transformation, with a focus on sustainable, inclusive and gender-responsive economic transformation based on innovation, entrepreneurship, enhanced productivity, competitiveness and decent work; and

• Governance and access to justice, with a focus on improved governance, more responsive institutions, strengthened rule of law and the protection of and respect for human rights, gender equality, and freedom from all forms of violence and discrimination in line with international standards.

Needless to say, a lot of work has gone into identifying and specifying these priority outcomes. We have drawn on best practices from around the globe to ensure that each outcome is underpinned by a scientifically robust theory of change. In July last year, we gained invaluable feedback from a multi-stakeholder consultation. I suppose that many of you have participated in this process. Your comments, feedback and active engagement have made this document more solid and substantive. Of this, I feel both proud, and incredibly grateful! 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

2022 is the first year of the CF, and we have already begun our work.  As we embark on this journey together with the Government of Viet Nam, I would like to highlight three key points:

First, we live in an uncertain and turbulent world. We are already seeing the effects of the triple planetary crisis – climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity. The last few years have shown, with brutal clarity, that crises can emerge and evolve quickly. The world as we know it can change and change fast. Recent crises have brought severe impact on food security, fuel and commodity prices, the global supply chains and financing. We may just be witnessing the beginning of worsening disruptions and turbulence yet to come. We have also seen how one crisis compounds another. The interlinkages in this global village can no longer be overlooked; it is evident. Against this backdrop - and more so than ever - we need to reaffirm and strengthen our commitment to multilateralism and global solidarity. We know that Viet Nam is a strong supporter of the UN, and trust that Viet Nam is poised to work closely with us as we take on more complex challenges. I believe that the UN can only be successful as a multilateral organization if we are able to bring diverse stakeholders to co-create solutions.

Second, we need to arm ourselves with knowledge and foresight to ensure that we stand ready to meet the world of tomorrow. As with the global pandemic, we have learnt that change and disruption come without warning. Knowledge is, in fact, our most valuable resource. As Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed at a meeting on macro-economy, held on 30 July, we “need to be bold and armed with knowledge, vision and breakthrough spirit”. He emphasized the need for stronger capability in forecasting to predict risks and seize opportunities. The UN stands ready to make substantive contributions with our global network of knowledge and access to expertise. My commitment to you is to use the CF as flexibly as possible, keeping it as a living document, focusing on what is the most needed within the four broad outcomes and co-designing with the Government and people of Viet Nam relevant development solutions and options. I also commit myself to making the UN as creative and innovative as possible, ensuring our approach remains effective, efficient and provides value.

Third, we need resources to implement the CF. Again, with MPI leading from within the Government, we are beginning the process of developing our joint resource mobilization and partnership strategy for the CF. Our strategy needs to be future facing, evidence-informed and adaptive to the fast-changing development context and financing landscape. We know that ODA to Viet Nam is expected to shrink in the upcoming years. Development finance as we know it needs to be reimagined to better serve today and tomorrow. This poses a major challenge for the formulation of the strategy but also for the actual mobilization of resources. Together, we can improve the way we mobilize non-traditional donors, find innovative cost-sharing arrangements and team up with the private sector to bring about change. I believe that we must take a whole-of-society approach, whereby we harness the capacity and resources for stronger collaboration. Here, I want to reiterate UN’s commitment to building on the strong partnership between the Government of Viet Nam and the UN in accelerating progress to achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the SDGs.

We cannot predict the future. But we can design and work together for the present and the future that leaves no one behind. I am excited to work with all of you present here today and with new partners with innovation, knowledge and foresight.

Thank you, Xin Cam on.