The Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri, visited the Vietnam Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Almheiri learned about the country’s approach to leverage its large population in achieving sustainable socioeconomic development, as it’s the third most populous geographical region in Southeast Asia and the fifteenth globally.
During the presentation, she heard an overview of the country’s digital transformation efforts, which began two years ago. Vietnamese government’s digital transformation has advanced much in recent years. According to the United Nations’ e-government development index for 2020, Vietnam ranked 86 out of 193 countries, and is currently aiming for the top 50.
Also discussed was the role of Vietnamese women as entrepreneurs and investors in the country’s economic development. Furthermore, she was briefed on Vietnam’s efforts to protect its environment and conserve its biodiversity, particularly its expansion of mangrove forests that protect the country’s coasts. A biodiversity hotspot, Vietnam is ranked 16th among the most biologically diverse countries in the world. Mangroves, tropical forests, and wetlands make up its various ecosystems.