Vietnam’s Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung spoke at the 2017 APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy (Photo: Le Hieu/ VOV)

The participants discussed the results of a public-private dialogue on women and the economy, a policy partnership meeting, policy proposals by APEC leaders, and approved a Statement on Women and the Economy. Vietnam’s Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, told the meeting: “Vietnam and many other APEC economies are facing slower economic growth, so it is crucial to promote economic reforms and ensure socio-economic progress. Strategies on inclusive and sustainable growth will be key to poverty elimination, inequality reduction, and environmentally friendly development. This requires better national governance which is able to deliver services and resources equally”.

Mr. Dung said APEC has established itself as the biggest economic and trade cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region and put gender equality at the center of economic and human development.