On September 18, during the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Switzerland, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Surya Deva, held a dialogue with member states regarding his activities over the past year. Reflecting on his visit to Vietnam from November 9 to 15, 2023, Deva expressed appreciation for the cooperation shown by the Vietnamese Government, agencies, and related organisations. He commended Vietnam’s notable progress in economic development and the rollout of social welfare programmes, as well as the country’s substantial advances in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in areas like poverty reduction, access to clean water and sanitation, resilient infrastructure, and innovation. Deva further praised Vietnam’s multidimensional approach to poverty reduction. Vietnamese Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to Geneva, reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, including the right to development, emphasising that people remain at the core of all development strategies. He noted, Vietnam does not sacrifice the environment for economic growth, a commitment Deva witnessed firsthand during his visit. Vietnam characterised the visit as successful, valuing the constructive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur. The discussions enabled information-sharing on the realisation of the right to development and the Sustainable Development Goals in Vietnam, the effective mobilisation and use of financial resources for sustainable development, and enhanced data availability for SDG progress monitoring. Vietnam also underscored its commitment to engaging stakeholders and fostering partnerships to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Ambassador Dung reiterated Vietnam’s support for the Special Rapporteur on the right to development and expressed eagerness for continued collaboration with UN human rights mechanisms in the future./.