The Conference adopted the Conference Statement on “The role of youth in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation”. This is the first Statement of the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians after nine editions, demonstrating the high determination and consensus and strong commitment of the young parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to promote the implementation of the SDGs on a global scale.

In his closing remarks, Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed that the success of the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians shows that the IPU Forum of Young Parliamentarians is a very necessary and useful forum for young parliamentarians.

He affirmed the importance of young parliamentarians in particular and young people in general as the future owners of each country, nation and the whole world in participating in the realisation of the goals and tasks of the IPU and the United Nations.

Hue urged the IPU Secretariat and member parliaments to spread the results of the conference to the UN’s 2023 SDG Summit, scheduled for September 18-19 in New York, and called on the IPU and its member parliaments to actively implement the conference statement and at the same time.

On behalf of the host country of the Conference, Hue thanked and appreciated the effective support and collaboration of experts and staff of the IPU and its Secretariat, member parliaments, National Assembly bodies and relevant sectors of Vietnam. He also thanked the parliaments, parliamentarians, and delegates for their friendship and good sentiments towards the country and people of Vietnam.

Vietnam's consistent policy is to promote a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, based on the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law.Vietnam attaches great importance to and actively and responsibly participates in multilateral institutions of which Vietnam is a member.

Earlier, speaking at the closing session, on behalf of the IPU leaders and participants to the Conference, IPU President Duarte Pacheco thanked the National Assembly of Vietnam for hosting this Conference carefully and actively as well as the warm welcome for all the delegates. He also expressed his gratitude to all the guests, panelists, and speakers who contributed to this conference, saying their perspectives enriched and inspired the discussions.

Emphasising that after the Conference, there is more work to be done, the IPU President said he believes in the even more active engagement of young parliamentarians in the IPU and its agenda, and shared his concern about the limited results of the SDGs realisation, The IPU President suggested engaging youth in our communities in politics and digital technologies to accelerate progress; adapt our budgets to scale up support for youth led startups and enterprises; and promote science and innovation for sustainable development and enhance digital literacy for young people.

He also pledged that the IPU is ready to support young parliamentarians in implementing their commitments at this Conference. "We cannot delay any longer. Let's try to work hard together to implement what we have committed and what we must do. We have the right to be proud of our work,” he said./.VNA