A/HRC/12/11* the changes in life, leading to misinterpretation and difficulties in enforcement, affecting efforts to ensure constitutionality, feasibility and transparency. The effectiveness of information provision, education and awareness enhancement in relation to the law remains limited. The system of law enforcement needs to be strengthened. A segment of public servants remain unfamiliar with the human rights treaties to which Viet Nam is party and occasionally have insufficient knowledge of government policies and the law. 23. These shortcomings have objective causes, including the fact that Viet Nam remains a poor country that has to cope with the aftermaths of war, for example by supporting the many victims of bombs, mines and Agent Orange/dioxin. The population is scattered throughout the country, including in remote and harsh areas with varying languages, customs and habits. The international environment with major economic upheavals, the outbreak of pandemics, environmental degradation and transnational crimes, is another factor. Viet Nam is still victim of hostile activities like terrorism, sabotage, and attempts to destabilize the country and infringe upon national security and territorial integrity. There are subjective causes, namely the slow pace of change in some policy areas, the poor quality of implementation and the shortcomings of institutional and human capacity. 24. A number of priorities were identified in the UPR national report of Viet Nam: continue to attach importance to poverty reduction, health care, development of the social safety net and human resources, expansion and improvement of the education and training system and effective implementation of the master plan for public administration reform, the strategy for the development of the legal system and the judicial reform strategy; take specific steps to realize these priorities; accede to additional human rights treaties; and strengthen cooperation with regional and international human rights mechanisms. 25. Viet Nam is committed to building a strong country with prosperous people and a just, democratic and advanced society, to protecting and promoting democracy and human rights as both the goal and the driving force of renewal. 26. Viet Nam hopes that the working session will be a manifestation of cooperation and constructive dialogue, in line with the objectives for which the UPR mechanism was created by United Nations member States to achieve. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 27. During the interactive dialogue, statements were made by 60 delegations. Additional statements by 16 delegations which could not be delivered during the dialogue due to time constraints are posted on the UPR extranet when available.* A number of delegations praised the national consultation held for the preparation of the UPR report and the comprehensive presentation. Reference was made to Viet Nam’s struggle for national independence in the context of the realization of the right to self-determination. Support was expressed for ongoing reforms in various areas, including the judicial reform with particular reference to the Doi Moi policy. A number of delegations praised Viet Nam’s rapid economic growth and social development with particular emphasis on its effective poverty reduction strategies, and it was highlighted that Viet Nam was one of the first countries to fulfil MDG 1 (poverty reduction). Significant achievements in economic, social and cultural rights were highlighted. Viet Nam was praised for its improvements in basic education, the right to health, including reduction of infant mortality, the right to food and the right to education. Positive remarks were made on progress in gender equality, * Belgium, Congo, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan. 6 GE.09-16382