Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has stressed the important role that the human factor plays in striving for a wealthy Asian – Pacific region in his remarks delivered at the 6th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting in Hanoi on September 6.

Addressing more than 100 delegates who are senior officials in charge of human resources from member economies of the Asia – Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, along with representatives of international organisations, PM Dung said Asia – Pacific has always been the most dynamic region in the world over the last decades, and 21 APEC economies, which represent 40 percent of the world’s population and 54 percent of the global GDP, have established themselves as the world’s growth engine.

Human resources hold the paramount importance in achieving such an outcome, he said.

At the same time, the PM noted that the world as a whole and APEC in particular are facing an array of arising regional and global challenges such as unsustainable growth recovery, high unemployment rate, imbalance between skilled labour supply and demand, social instability and other potential risks.

In order to cope with those challenges, APEC members should further foster ties in developing human resources and encouraging creativity and connectivity, among others, which are important measures to shore up the economy and ensure social security and welfare, he said.

The PM made clear that Vietnam has always defined human resources development as a strategic breakthrough to achieve sustainable socio-economic development towards the goal of national industrialisation and modernization.

He said the success of the 6th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting will strengthen regional connections and partnership for a united and equally and sustainably developing Asia – Pacific region.

The meeting this year, themed “Promoting quality employment and strengthening people-to-people connectivity through human resources development”, will focus on the three main topics of supporting equal and sustainable growth, enhancing human resource quality to meet the demand of the supply chain and promoting labour mobility and skill development.-VNA