By 2020, Viet Nam plans to reduce the number of people working in the agricultural sector to 30 per cent of the population while increasing the number of itinerant workers on regular wages to 50 per cent.
This was the message given by Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, to participants at the 15th Asia and Pacific regional meeting (APRM) of the International Labour Organisation.

The minister said these goals were part of the socio-economic development strategy during 2011-20 and were the priorities for improving labour quality and the competitiveness of human resources.

The minister said that they were in addition to the national programme on employment.

She said Viet Nam would adhere to its policy of socio-economic development while ensuring social security.

"To implement this policy the Government has implemented a series of policies, including a national programme on poverty alleviation and other programmes and projects to support vulnerable groups, including women, people with disabilities and disadvantaged children," she said.

Minister Chuyen thanked the ILO for the technical support given to Viet Nam in recent years.

She said Viet Nam was committed to consolidating co-operation with the ILO and countries in Asia, the Pacific and Arab States.

Topics covered at the four-day meeting, which ends tomorrow, include macro-economic co-ordination, employment and social-protection policies, sustainable enterprises and skills development - and workers' rights.

A Youth Leaders' forum will tackle the pressing challenge of youth employment and special sessions on green jobs - and employment-led natural-disaster responses.

The last APRM meeting was in Busan, South Korea, in 2006.

VNS