Vietnam, ASEAN push inclusive social development agenda at UN

Vietnam is spearheading ASEAN's efforts to advance inclusive social development on the international stage, emphasizing the region's commitment to sustainable progress. Ambassador Do Hung Viet underscored that ASEAN will deepen cooperation with the United Nations through the ASEAN–UN Plan of Action for 2026–2030, ensuring that commitments translate into measurable results benefiting ordinary citizens.

The partnership framework reflects ASEAN's broader development strategy, with particular focus on vulnerable and marginalized groups across member states. Vietnam has positioned itself as a champion of this inclusive approach, drawing on its own progress in expanding education, healthcare, and social welfare systems that have supported the nation's steady economic advancement.

Vietnam's experience demonstrates how targeted social investments can complement economic growth. The country's advances in human development have been recognized as a foundation enabling broader prosperity, with lessons applicable across the Southeast Asian region.

The initiative aligns with Vietnam's 14th National Party Congress priorities, which emphasize integrating social welfare expansion with sustainable development objectives. ASEAN's coordinated approach through the UN framework is intended to address shared regional challenges and establish best practices in inclusive policy-making that governments can adapt to their respective contexts.