As published by Government News (Vietnam Government Portal) on August 26, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam received UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam Caitlin Wiesen, on the morning of 26 August, at the Government headquarters.

The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that the Vietnamese Government highly appreciates UNDP's role in supporting development on a global scale and is delighted with the good cooperation activities between Viet Nam and UNDP over the past decades.

During her tenure in Viet Nam, Ms. Caitlin Wiesen has had many initiatives and activities that helped promote the Viet Nam partnership with the UN in general, and with UNDP in particular; while supporting Viet Nam in socio-economic development, international integration, and enhancing its role and position in the international arena.

Especially during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNDP and Ms. Caitlin Wiesen personally actively supported Viet Nam with medical equipment and supplies for the prevention and control and timely launched assessment reports on socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on poor households, and proposed measures to respond and recover from the pandemic; and at the same time, supported Viet Nam with grassroots telehealth and formulation of pandemic response and recovery policies.

The Deputy Prime Minister also highly appreciated UNDP's support in public administration reform, green and inclusive economic recovery, mine action, and women’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

In the coming time, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam expressed his hope that UNDP will continue coordinating with WHO and other international partners to strengthen support for grassroots healthcare, preventive medicine, thus helping Viet Nam improve its preparedness for future epidemics. DPM Vu Duc Dam would also like UNDP to help Viet Nam review and accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); sharing international experiences and good practices in addressing socio-economic impacts on vulnerable groups in the transition to green economy; as well as provide technical assistance for Viet Nam in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the resilience and adaptive capacity of communities, economic sectors, and ecosystems.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen shared many memories and feelings during her time working in Viet Nam, especially during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Caitlin Wiesen affirmed UNDP’s commitment to further deepening the partnership between Vietnam and UNDP under the framework of the Country Program for the period 2022-2026.

The Program's focus areas include: Economic transformation; increasing productivity and competitiveness of domestic enterprises; ensuring that vulnerable groups do not fall into poverty after the COVID-19 pandemic; multidimensional poverty reduction; climate change response; strengthening disaster resilience; and ensuring environmental sustainability, by addressing the linkages between poverty and environment, climate and health, designing and implementing low-carbon development solutions, circular economy, and environmental protection; promoting legal aid services; increasing the participation of people, including women and vulnerable groups./.