NA leader calls for commitment to sustainable growth goals at IPU-132    Delegates participate in the inaugural ceremony of the 132nd Inter-Paliamentary Union (IPU-132) in Ha Noi on Saturday. Viet Nam has called upon parliaments to implement sustainable development goals in the next 15 years. - VNA/VNS Photo HA NOI (VNS) - Chairman of the Viet Nam National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Sinh Hung, who was elected President of the 132nd Inter-PaliamentaryUnion (IPU-132), yesterday called on parliaments to make strong commitment to implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the next 15 years. Hung suggested delegates focus on the role and missions of the parliaments to turn words into action. Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese NA and head of the Vietnamese delegation, Tong Thi Phong, yesterday reviewed the implementation of the eight millennium development goals (MDGs), saying that some of the poverty and inequality targets had yet to be fully addressed. She said the gap required efforts between nations, international organisations and individuals globally for sustainable development. She highlighted Viet Nam's determination to reach significant achievements in the field. Phong said the NA had built policies, national targets, and legal frameworks while strengthening its supervisory role in implementing the eight MDGs. She suggested sustainable development should be based on economic growth, protective and equal environment, and social progress. Phong said Viet Nam agreed with the basic contents of the 17 draft SDGs from the UN. The lawmaker also recommended increasing the role of parliaments and parliamentarians through legal documents relevant to SDG implementation, as well as in making decisions on socio-economic development agenda and through the national budget. She suggested enhancing co-operation between the IPU and the United Nations, promoting the role played by regional economic mechanisms and international trade and finance institutions, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organisation to build and implement SDGs. At the same time, she underlined peace and security as the prerequisite and solid foundation for building a post-2015 development agenda. She said that resolving current conflicts and preventing imminent threats of conflict was the urgent and long-term task of all nations. Amina Mohammed, a representative from the UN Secretary General said the IPU-132 was a special occasion in the final stage of the negotiations to define the SDGs, which will be adopted in September. She said it was increasingly important for parliaments to realise these targets in the next 15 years. IPU President Saber Chowhury praised Mohammed's ideas on engaging the IPU in UN affairs, including sustainable development goals, relations between the IPU and the UN, and the IPU's expectations on global common issues. Last Saturday night, Viet Nam's NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung commenced the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) at the National Convention Centre in Ha Noi. The chairman spoke at the opening ceremony that the IPU-132's theme this year, "The Sustainable Development Goals: Turning words into action," is extremely important at a time when the 15-year period, 2000-2015, for implementation of Millennium Development Goals was about to finish and the United Nations was to adopt an agenda for post-2015 development. The IPU-132 brought together over 160 participating international delegations, including those from IPU member parliaments, associate members, and foreign organisations and scheduled to finish on April 1. - VNS