The Vietnamese Government will continue with its pro-poor policy and strive for a more organic link between the poverty reduction strategy and the socio-political development strategy to provide a more secured life for all citizens.`

The statement was made by Ambassador Bui The Giang, Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN General Assembly Thematic Debate on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in New York on April 3.

With an acute awareness of responsibility, Vietnam localised the 8 MDGs into 12 Vietnam Development Goals that focus on poverty elimination and social issues, Giang said.

He noted that the poverty rate has reduced sharply from 58.1 percent in 1993 to 14.7 percent in 2007, meaning the country has attained MDG-1 far ahead of schedule.

“Regarding education, with currently over 99 percent of 6-year old children going to primary schools, we are well-grounded to believe that Vietnam will achieve MDG-2 during the 2010-2015 period,” he said.

The Vietnamese diplomat added that the gender gap at all levels of education has been remarkably narrowed and the role of women in the employment market and indeed all spheres of society has increased.

Vietnam remains the leader in Asia in terms of female parliamentarian membership, Giang said.

“It is therefore likely that Vietnam will fulfill MDG-3 before 2015,” Giang announced.

In the field of health, as of 2007, Vietnam succeeded in reducing the rates of maternal mortality and child mortality among the under-5s. The rates of malaria mortality also decreased during the 1995-2004 period meaning Vietnam now relatively effectively has control of the disease.

However, with the present rapid spread and complicated development of HIV/AIDS, Vietnam is facing the risk of failing MDG-6, Giang said.

The ambassador pointed out Vietnam had made positive efforts to improve environmental sustainability. There has been an increase in the rates of access to clean water supply by the rural population as well as improvement in urban waste collection.

Giang concluded by calling on developed countries to fully implement their commitments to the goals which include facilitating trade, allocating 0.7 percent of GNP to official development assistance (ODA) and reducing or eliminating debts for developing countries.

The eight MDGs approved at the 2000 World Summit include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development. (VNA)