Bhutan, Thailand and Viet Nam
Intervention on Methodology
(delivered by Do Hung Viet, Permanent Mission of Viet Nam, on behalf of Troika of Bhutan, Thailand and Viet Nam)
Thank you Mr. Co-chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Troika consisting of Bhutan, Thailand and Viet Nam. We associate ourselves with the statements delivered by Bolivia on behalf of the G77 and China.
I would limit myself to making three comments on methodology:
First, we share the widely held view that the SDGs must be global in nature and universally applicable to all countries, and must therefore be agreeable to all. We believe they should be bold and ambitious, but not over-ambitious. We should be idealistic but also realistic and focused. And since they are time-bound, the SDGs should not be expected to solve all problems we face. We should also take into account the various agendas and programmes in the relevant areas currently being implemented in the UN system.
Second, let us learn from our experience with the MDGs. While not perfect, the MDGs galvanized and directed international efforts to concrete, focused areas of development, and helped make unprecedented progress in all parts of the world. But let us also remember that even as we speak, the world has not been able to achieve what we set out - 8 goals and 21 targets.
Third, we underline the importance of national implementation. One thing we in Viet Nam have learnt from the successful MDG implementation is that we used MDG as a framework to form our own Viet Nam Development Goals – the VDGs, which are suited to our own national circumstances. Therefore, the future SDGs should be crafted as a framework that would allow countries, at different levels of development and varying capacity, to translate into their own national development strategy and policy.
Along these lines, as we devise the goals, we are of the view that the current 19 focus areas should be further narrowed down, clustered to be even more focused and prioritized, with the time-frame of 2030 in mind. In the same fashion, targets should be limited in number and better clustered together. We cannot afford to have a proliferation and ever expanding number of goals and targets.
Finally, Mr. Co-chair, let me reaffirm Viet Nam’s commitment to work constructively with you and other members of the OWG to move the process forward. We also look forward to the continued support of UN agencies in this process, particularly as we enters the stage of specific goal and target setting.
I thank you.
(delivered by Do Hung Viet, Permanent Mission of Viet Nam, on behalf of Troika of Bhutan, Thailand and Viet Nam)
Thank you Mr. Co-chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Troika consisting of Bhutan, Thailand and Viet Nam. We associate ourselves with the statements delivered by Bolivia on behalf of the G77 and China.
I would limit myself to making three comments on methodology:
First, we share the widely held view that the SDGs must be global in nature and universally applicable to all countries, and must therefore be agreeable to all. We believe they should be bold and ambitious, but not over-ambitious. We should be idealistic but also realistic and focused. And since they are time-bound, the SDGs should not be expected to solve all problems we face. We should also take into account the various agendas and programmes in the relevant areas currently being implemented in the UN system.
Second, let us learn from our experience with the MDGs. While not perfect, the MDGs galvanized and directed international efforts to concrete, focused areas of development, and helped make unprecedented progress in all parts of the world. But let us also remember that even as we speak, the world has not been able to achieve what we set out - 8 goals and 21 targets.
Third, we underline the importance of national implementation. One thing we in Viet Nam have learnt from the successful MDG implementation is that we used MDG as a framework to form our own Viet Nam Development Goals – the VDGs, which are suited to our own national circumstances. Therefore, the future SDGs should be crafted as a framework that would allow countries, at different levels of development and varying capacity, to translate into their own national development strategy and policy.
Along these lines, as we devise the goals, we are of the view that the current 19 focus areas should be further narrowed down, clustered to be even more focused and prioritized, with the time-frame of 2030 in mind. In the same fashion, targets should be limited in number and better clustered together. We cannot afford to have a proliferation and ever expanding number of goals and targets.
Finally, Mr. Co-chair, let me reaffirm Viet Nam’s commitment to work constructively with you and other members of the OWG to move the process forward. We also look forward to the continued support of UN agencies in this process, particularly as we enters the stage of specific goal and target setting.
I thank you.