(VOVworld) – The 6th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting closed in Hanoi last week. The meeting was part of activities to mark 25 years of APEC’s development and prepare for Vietnam’s hosting of the 25th APEC Summit in 2017. The success of the meeting is evidence of Vietnam’s active cooperation with APEC to boost economic linkages and cooperative mechanisms to conform to the new competitive environment.
The meeting discussed supporting Inclusive and Sustainable Growth to Address the Social Dimensions of Globalization, improving human resource quality to meet supply chain demand, and facilitating Mobility of Labor and Skills Development. The meeting was aimed at realizing the Joint Ministerial Statement of the 21st APEC Summit on increasing cooperation in human resource development within APEC and between APEC and its partners.
Human resources contribute to APEC’s growth
Over the last 25 years, APEC has been focusing on developing qualified human resources with priority given to humane values, human protection, and people-to-people connectivity.
Deeper globalization and liberalization and diverse cooperation methods and economic linkages are creating both opportunities and challenges. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said: “The challenges include slow economic recovery, high employment, labor imbalance, and social instability. These issues should be addressed at the national, regional and global level. The efforts and determination of individual APEC members are not strong enough to overcome these challenges.”
Opportunities and challenges brought by mobility in APEC
Vietnam is aware of the importance of qualified human resources in achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in the context of globalization and liberalization. Vietnam has developed its own potential in human resource development to join global labor allocation and specialization. However, like other APEC members, Vietnam is facing challenges, which include implementing its regional and global commitments for the sake of national economic growth. Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan said: “There are now a number of other institutions like APEC such as TPP, East Asia Cooperation, and several bilateral institutions, so APEC should define itself to avoid overlap. If commitment realization is slow, there will be new stronger commitments, because Vietnam is also a member of other institutions whose commitments could conflict. Vietnam should design a standardized system to ensure that its commitments complement one another.”
Boosting cooperative mechanisms within APEC
Since Vietnam joined APEC 16 years ago, it has been working closely with other members to promote cooperative mechanisms and economic linkages to fit into the new competitive environment. The meeting in Hanoi discussed many new human-based initiatives and solutions to minimize the negative impacts of globalization. Vietnam’s proposals and initiatives have been praised by other APEC members. David Dodwell, a representative of the APEC Business Council, said: “Vietnam is going to be hosting APEC in 2017. This, quite formally, is Vietnam’s government to start the process of thinking about preparing for 2017. For me, it’s marvelous that the government ‘s thinking so far ahead and determined to make a success of their year host for APEC. I’m impressed that they’ve been sufficiently organized to meet so early and to start the process of thinking about 2017.”
After nearly 30 years of renewal Vietnam’s population is now in a golden period with an abundant labor force. This period will continue for another 30-35 years. Appropriate solutions in vocational training and labor use and active cooperation in important global institutions such as APEC will help Vietnam speed up its socio-economic development.