Vietnam, Cambodia join hands to carry out MoU on labour cooperation

Hanoi (VNA) – A newly-signed plan to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on labour cooperation for the 2022-2027 period between Vietnam and Cambodia is expected to help expand and deepen the two countries’ collaboration in labour and vocational training.

The plan was signed in Hanoi on April 5 at the Vietnam-Cambodia Labour Ministers’ Meeting which aimed at boosting cooperation in labour and vocational training between the two ministries in particular and the two nations in general, especially in the implementation of the MoU, inked in November 2022.

The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and Cambodian Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Samheng.

Speaking at the event, Minister Dung affirmed that cooperation between his ministry and Cambodia's Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has been developing and achieved many good results. Specifically, through the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on labour cooperation between the two ministries signed in March 2017, the ministries have strengthened the management of Cambodian labourers in Vietnam as well as Vietnamese labourers in Cambodia, helping ensure their legitimate rights and interests, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two countries have also promoted cooperative activities and supported each other bilaterally and multilaterally through joint projects within the frameworks of ASEAN, the Mekong sub-region, Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam and Thailand (CLMVT) cooperation on labour and at international forums to which both countries are members.

Through the Vietnam - Cambodia Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, about 35 Cambodian students received scholarships to study at Thai Nguyen College of Vietnam every year.

Stressing the importance of the early implementation of the MoU, both ministers agreed that in the context of complicated world developments, the two ministries have to make more efforts to come up with new, creative and breakthrough legal and policy orientations to adapt to the new situation, contributing to socio-economic stability of the two countries.

Minister Ith Samheng appreciated the fine cooperation between the two ministries and emphasised the significance of the freshly-signed action plan.

He also noted the importance of skill sharing between the two countries to benefit the peoples, together with the organisation of annual meetings and visits to ensure the supervision over the implementation of the plan.

At his meeting for the Cambodian minister the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha highlighted the importance of cooperation in labour and vocational training between Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Cambodian Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training have coordinated effectively to realise their memorandum of understanding on labour cooperation during the 2017-2022 period, Ha said.

Such cooperation activities have contributed to improving the efficiency of the management of Cambodian labourers in Vietnam and vice versa, according to the official.

He described collaboration in personnel development and vocational training as an effective method to further preserve and promote good values of the close friendship between the two States and peoples.

Ha expressed his belief that the cooperation between the two ministries will be advanced, meeting wishes of both countries and matching their cooperation potential, especially in raising skills for labourers./.