Vietnam, US expand cooperation on labour and social security

The United States will continue to support Vietnam in building labour relations. (Illustrative image: Vietnam+)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam and the US agreed to resume labour dialogue and expand cooperation in labour and social security in the coming time.

Within the framework of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's trip to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit, and pay visit to the US and the United Nations, on May 11, at the headquarters of the US Department of Labour, Vietnamese Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung had a bilateral meeting with the leader in charge of international labour affairs of the US Department of Labour, Ms. Thea Lee.

At the meeting, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung appreciated the US Department of Labour’s cooperation with and its support for the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Since the Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries was signed in 2000, the US Department of Labour has provided more than 50 million USD for Vietnam through a bilateral mechanism or through the International Labour Organization (ILO) to implement technical assistance projects in the development of human resources, labour market and employment services; social security; building of healthy labour relations; and child labour prevention.

Minister Dao Ngoc Dung shared with the US Department of Labour the innovations in state management in Vietnam's labour and social fields, especially the revision of the Labour Code in 2019, and its ratification of seven of eight ILO fundamental conventions. Currently, the Vietnamese Government plans to continue to renew and perfect the law on labour and human resource development, especially high-quality human resources, considering this as one of the strategic breakthroughs to boost socio-economic development in the context of Vietnam's deeper and deeper integration into the world economy.

The Minister also discussed Vietnam's achievements in reducing child labour, enhancing occupational safety and health, promoting and protecting the rights of migrant workers, workers with disabilities, women and other disadvantaged groups.

He suggested that the two sides expand cooperation, with a focus on Vietnam's priorities in the coming years such as developing high-quality human resources, reforming the social insurance system, and developing the labour market.

For her part, Ms Thea Lee said that US side highly appreciated Vietnam's positive progress in improving labour laws, especially its adoption of the 2019 Labour Code and ratification and implementation of many important conventions of the ILO.

Minister Dao Ngoc Dung and Ms. Thea Lee at the US Department of Labour (Photo:Vietnam+)

The US side pledged to continue promoting cooperation with Vietnam in key areas, including labour relations, improvement of national capacity in preventing and reducing child labour, and support for children negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides agreed to continue carrying out the annual labour dialogue between the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the US Department of Labour - a mechanism that has proven its effectiveness during 15 sessions that have been done in the last 20 years.

The two sides expressed their belief that this cooperation will bring benefits to both Vietnamese workers, Vietnamese businesses as well as US businesses that are investing, cooperating and doing business with Vietnam.

On the same day, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung had a meeting and working with Mr. Kevin Cassidy, Director of International Labour Organization (ILO) office in Washington DC. 

At the meeting, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung reaffirmed the commitment of Vietnam as a responsible member of ILO. Vietnam always respects, promotes and implements the basic principles of ILO, he said. The Minister highly appreciated and expressed Vietnam’s agreement with the initiatives of ILO on the future work at a time when the world has faced the challenges of climate change, ageing population and the rapid change of technology.

The Director of ILO office in Washington DC highlighted the new development of Vietnam, especially, the improvement of labour law and the measures reacting, reducing the impact of Covid-19 on labourers, businesses and people in general./.