Addressing the 6th APEC Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministerial Meeting in Hanoi on September 6, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung noted that HRD is a cross-cutting issue and a decisive factor in maintaining the grouping’s dynamic and rapid growth.

Dung said over the past 25 years, APEC, the world’s economic growth locomotive with 21 member economies, has become a dynamic

economic forum, representing 40% of the global population and generating 54% of global GDP. Cooperation between APEC member countries has brought huge benefit for each member economy, the region and the whole world.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung said HRD plays an important role in shaping APEC development. He attributed the success story to the grouping’s efforts in developing human resources capable of solving challenges arising from globalisation,

alongside appropriate education and training policies. APEC’s cooperation programmes and initiatives have helped generate more jobs for young people, meeting the requirements of international supply chains and sharpening the competitive edge of its member economies.

Deeper globalisation and liberalisation, together with diverse cooperation forms, creates new opportunities but poses new challenges, including slow economic recovery, high employment, labour imbalance, and social instability, for the world and APEC in particular, Dung said.

These issues should be addressed at the national, regional and global levels, he stressed, adding efforts and determination of each APEC member economy are not strong enough to tackle these challenges.

With its important role and position, APEC should further strengthen cooperation and experience sharing, especially in developing human resources, encouraging dynamism, creativity and people-to-people connection, considering this a major measure to restructure, restore economic growth, and ensure social security, social welfare and human development, Dung said.

The PM expressed his belief APEC ministers will come up with recommendations, initiatives and solutions for human resources development, so as to cushion the negative impact of globalisation and international labour division, like unemployment, while increasing support for vulnerable groups in society, particularly women and people with disability in the labour market.

Introducing Vietnam’s Doi Moi (Renewal) achievements since 1986, Dung said from a poor, war-torn country, Vietnam has emerged as a developing, middle-income economy which is accelerating international integration.

Vietnam has defined human resources development as a strategic breakthrough in sustaining socio-economic development, restructuring its economy, renewing the growth model, and meeting the target of accomplishing the national industrialisation and modernisation task.

To this end, Vietnam is taking advantage of its "golden population" to enhance the competitiveness of the national human resources, contributing to the rapid, effective development and deeper integration into regional and international cooperation mechanisms, especially the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and other free trade agreements requiring high standards in human resources.

Since joining the grouping more than 15 years ago, Dung said Vietnam has actively cooperated with and will continue working closely with other APEC members to promote diverse economic cooperation and integration mechanisms in a flexible and effective manner, in line the new competitive environment.

He expressed his hope the success of the meeting will further bolster effective linkages and cooperation in the region, towards an Asia-Pacific of self-reliance, unity, equitable and sustainable development.

VOV/VNN