Vietnam proactively shapes labor and employment priorities in the ASEAN Community

(Chinhphu.vn) - Vietnam will continue to be proactive, creative and responsible in ASEAN cooperation on labor and employment, contributing to building a fair, sustainable labor market that adapts to the digital transformation era.

Dr. Ha Minh Duc, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department ( Ministry of Interior ), speaks at the workshop - Photo: VGP/Thu Giang

On October 17th, the Ministry of Home Affairs organized the workshop "Labor and Employment in the Context of ASEAN Integration 2025," aiming to share labor development trends in the region and define Vietnam's cooperation priorities for the coming period.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Ha Minh Duc , Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department (Ministry of Interior) , said that this is an annual activity of the Ministry, a forum to share and connect trends occurring in the region with specific tasks that Vietnam is implementing.

According to Dr. Ha Minh Duc, 2025 is not only the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN, but also a strategic transition point for the entire bloc – as ASEAN concludes the 2016–2025 Master Plan and launches a new phase from 2026–2035, towards the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

To prepare for the new phase, the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with other Vietnamese ministries and agencies, has been actively participating in the development of the 2026-2030 Five-Year Work Plan , connecting Vietnam's perspectives and priorities with the common direction of ASEAN.

As the focal agency of the Socio-Cultural Community , the Ministry of Home Affairs has organized numerous consultations and compiled Vietnam's priority proposals in the fields of labor, employment, and human resource development.

"This is a crucial time for Vietnam to proactively identify ways to connect with shared priorities, while also proposing initiatives that reflect national needs and interests," emphasized Dr. Ha Minh Duc.

According to Dr. Ha Minh Duc, incorporating this initiative into ASEAN's Five-Year Work Plan has immense strategic significance , because once approved, all member states will be responsible for participating.

"In a multilateral mechanism like ASEAN, if 6 to 7 out of our 10 priorities reach a consensus, that's already a great success," added Dr. Ha Minh Duc.

Seminar “Labor and Employment in the Context of ASEAN Integration 2025” - Photo: VGP/Thu Giang

The workshop consisted of five in-depth working sessions, focusing on evaluating the results of labor and employment cooperation during the 2021–2025 period and preparing for the new 2026–2030 period.

Session 1 reviewed the implementation status of the ASEAN Labour Ministers' Work Plan (ALM-WP) with contents on employment, labor migration, inspection, occupational safety and health (OSHNET) and human resource development.

Delegates acknowledged Vietnam's active participation and substantial contributions to initiatives on protecting migrant workers, eliminating child labor, and providing vocational skills training.

Session 2 , presented by the ASEAN Secretariat, outlined the ALM-WP Plan for the period 2026–2030 , emphasizing digital transformation, green transformation, and international integration as major priorities for the region.

Session 3 focused on discussions regarding Vietnam's planned activities , including updating reports on gender equality, the rights of migrant workers, the elimination of child labor, and the development of a common ASEAN database.

In particular, Vietnam shared experiences in digital transformation in the labor and employment sector; and promoted employment for people with disabilities in the region.

In Sessions 4 and 5 , representatives from units under the Ministry of Home Affairs and other relevant ministries, sectors, and organizations discussed Vietnam's cooperation priorities for the 2026–2030 period , including: strengthening occupational safety and health, promoting green skills training, protecting vulnerable workers, and preparing for Vietnam's chairmanship of the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network ( OSHNET) in 2026 .

There was also a consensus on the need to leverage technical and financial support from international partners to effectively implement cooperation activities, while preparing content for discussion at the upcoming ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Labour (SLOM) and SLOM+3 in Cambodia.

Thu Giang

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/viet-nam-chu-dong-dinh-hinh-uu-tien-lao-dong-viec-lam-trong-cong-dong-asean-102251017113135459.htm