Vietnam always pursues the policy of combining implements economic development and social security, the Vietnamese labour minister said at a regional meeting in Kyoto, Japan, on Dec. 5.

Guided by the policy, the Vietnamese Government has designed and implemented a series of policies such as the national programme on poverty reduction, programmes and projects to help weak-position groups including poor women, disabled people and disadvantaged children, Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hai Chuyen said in her speech at the plenary session of the 15 th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM-15) held by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

She also highlighted Vietnam ’s efforts in job generation, including the national employment programme and numerous programmes and projects on vocational training, job generation for specific groups and regions. The programmes created jobs to over one million workers a year.

However, she admitted to problems in Vietnam ’s labour market system and social security network. Therefore, in the 2011-2020 socio-economic development strategy, Vietnam will focus on improving quality and competitiveness of human resources, generating stable jobs for labourers, and helping weak-position group integrate into labour market, she said.

In addition, Vietnam will build policy framework on social security for the 2011-2020 period and complete a legal corridor for this field through amending and supplementing the Labour Code as well as devising laws on employment and minimum salary.

Minister Chuyen took this opportunity to thank the ILO for its cooperation and technical assistance to Vietnam and reaffirmed the Vietnamese Government’s commitment that it will together with social partners do its utmost to maintain and promote the effective cooperation between the ILO and tripartite partners in Vietnam in the coming time.

Vietnam will continue cooperating with all nations in the region and the world for peace, prosperity and equality for all people, building a sustainable future in the Asia-Pacific region, she affirmed.

Vietnam joined the ILO in 1992 and was elected to be a full member of the ILO governing body at the 100th ILO General Assembly in Geneva , Switzerland on June 6, 2011.

Also at the plenary meeting, delegates heard and discussed a report on building a sustainable future with decent jobs in the Asia-Pacific, presented by ILO General Director Juan Somavia.

The ILO also on the same day organised two special session on green jobs and coordination of macro-economic policies and employment and social security./.