A Vietnamese delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Dang Khoa is attending the 9th Asia-Pacific Cooperative Ministers’ Conference in Bangkok from Feb. 27-29.

The Vietnamese delegation joined others from over 20 countries around the region, along with several international organisations including the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Speaking at the conference, the President of the International Cooperative Alliance Pauline Green, cited the UN view that cooperatives improve the living standards of 50 percent of the world’s population.

She said the UN also recognises the role of the cooperative model in global socio-economic development over the past 180 years. Nearly 1 billion people now belong to cooperatives, generating a great number of jobs across the globe. They often help to prevent disputes, build communities, develop professional skills and help millions of people escape from poverty.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Vietnamese delegation met with the Malaysian delegation and discussed more bilateral cooperation, especially between the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the Cooperative College of Malaysia.-VNA