The 56th session of the executive committee of the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) was started in Hanoi on April 15, focusing on the policies of member countries and proposing multilateral and bilateral cooperation programmes.

The event drew the participation of about 70 high-ranking representatives from member economies and observers from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

During three days of sitting, participants will elect a president and vice president for the 2014-15 term, unveil the 2013 financial report, appoint auditors for 2014, and approve a budget and strategy for 2015 and 2016.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh said that Vietnam is conducting management reforms. The renovation of the growth model, along with an increase of productivity, quality, effectiveness and competitiveness, is among orientations and solutions in the country’s socio-economic development strategy in the coming time.

Vietnam wishes to receive assistance from the APO and its member productivity agencies in training experts and sharing experience in applying solutions to raise output and quality, he emphasised.

Since joining the APO in 1996, thousands of Vietnam’s organisations and businesses have had the chance to access advanced management technology and gain experience in raising productivity and quality from regional and global countries. Numerous systems relating to quality environment and energy management have been applied widely in Vietnam.

As part of the meeting, delegates will undertake a fact-finding tour of the Traphaco pharmaceutical joint stock company, where solutions have been applied successfully to raise output and quality. The company won the Asia-Pacific quality award for 2013.-VNA