Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (R) and ISSA Secretary-General Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano at the meeting in Hanoi on February 20 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime MinisterVu Duc Dam received a delegation of the International Social SecurityAssociation (ISSA) led by its Secretary-General Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano inHanoi on February 20.
The host said the Vietnam Social Security (VSS)became an ISSA member in 2015, and it is the official and only representativeof the country at this association. The VSS has always taken an active part in theISSA activities while working to connect the association with the ASEAN SocialSecurity Association when it held the ASEAN organisation’s presidency in2018-2019.
Stressing the importance of a social securitynetwork, he noted that Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups, including those with verysmall populations. Therefore, aside from applying the world’s common rules oninsurance and social security, the country has implemented particular policiesfor those groups. Specific policies have also been carried out for war victims,especially those of Agent Orange/dioxin.
The Deputy PM spoke highly of the VSS’s role, highlightingthat over the past decade, the social insurance coverage in the country hasbeen expanded from 60 percent to over 90 percent. Vietnam is also planning tomake strong changes in the field of social insurance, an important task of theVSS for the time ahead.
A member of ASEAN, Vietnam has paid heed tosocial security issues in its cooperation with other member countries, andduring its ASEAN chairmanship this year, it will continue including socialsecurity and insurance cooperation matters in the bloc’s agenda, Dam said.
He expressed his hope that the ISSA, the VSS andrelevant agencies of Vietnam will enhance cooperation in technical assistance,personnel training, technology transfer and experience sharing, and boostinternational cooperation in the ASEAN Community.
This will help Vietnam’s social security systemdevelop sustainably, professionally and effectively, the official added.
At the meeting, the ISSA Secretary-General spokehighly of Vietnam’s performance in social security issues, noting that theultimate goal of both the country and the association is to improve people’sliving standards and social welfare.
He said he hopes the ISSA and Vietnam willstrengthen cooperation to help ensure social security in the country andpromote its stature during its social security integration into the world./.
VNA
