At the meeting, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue stated that Vietnam attaches importance to the ILO's role in supporting workers globally, including promoting the goal of social justice and protecting workers' rights as well as addressing issues such as social inequality and unemployment globally due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and ILO Director General at the reception.

Vietnam highly appreciates the ILO in supporting Vietnam in researching, ratifying, and promoting the implementation of labor standards, especially recently ratified conventions such as: Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, Convention No. 105 on the Abolition of Forced Labor.

During the process of developing the Labor Code, Vietnam also received very good and effective technical support from the ILO. The National Assembly Chairman affirmed that in the field of labor, Vietnam will continue to develop and amend labor laws, such as reforming wage policies and social insurance; continue to make efforts to research and ratify the ILO's basic and key technical conventions, as well as effectively implement these conventions after ratification.

The National Assembly Chairman acknowledged the role of the ILO Representative Office in Vietnam over the years, which has made great contributions to Vietnam's socio-economic development, especially in labor and employment issues.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo affirmed that over the past time, ILO and Vietnam have always maintained a good, long-term and effective cooperative relationship. The ILO Director-General said that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought many challenges and difficulties in terms of health, medical, social and economic impacts to the whole world.

To date, countries are still in the recovery phase from the pandemic, along with crises due to geopolitical instability. This context encourages the ILO to connect and cooperate more deeply with member countries. During and after the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam has had a good recovery. Vietnam is also one of the successful countries in implementing the United Nations' sustainable development goals.

At the meeting, the National Assembly Chairman discussed and analyzed the issues of concern to the ILO Director-General regarding ensuring the balance of economic and social benefits, narrowing the increasingly deep inequalities due to the impact of the pandemic; views on the initiative to establish the Global Alliance for Social Justice and the Global Framework on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition.

The National Assembly Chairman shared that Vietnam is a pioneer in implementing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. At the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly, the Vietnamese National Assembly initiated the Hanoi Declaration on Sustainable Development. Vietnam is one of the first countries to update sustainable development goals into its socio-economic development plan.

Director-General of the International Labour Organization ILO Gilbert F. Houngbo.

The National Assembly Chairman once again affirmed that sustainable development in all economic, social and environmental pillars has always been a consistent policy of Vietnam. Vietnam advocates building harmonious, stable and progressive labor relations. The State plays the role of an agent, coordinating between employers and employees; between the representative of employers, the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry, and the representative of employees, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.

Vietnam is also in the process of strongly restructuring its growth model with three strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure and human resources. The Vietnamese National Assembly has also approved national target programs on sustainable poverty reduction, new rural construction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The National Assembly Chairman cited the fact that during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the role of the National Assembly and the Government of Vietnam has been clearly demonstrated in supporting employees and employers. The National Assembly has issued a resolution to allow the application of specific, exceptional, and special measures to deal with the pandemic; creating favorable conditions for employees and employers. Vietnam is the only country in the world to issue a resolution of such nature.

Reception scene.

In addition, the Vietnamese National Assembly has introduced a fiscal and monetary stimulus package of up to 8.4% of GDP to support people, businesses and workers. These policies have helped Vietnam achieve positive growth while most countries in the world have negative growth. In 2022, Vietnam will achieve economic growth of more than 8%, while inflation is very low.

Discussing global initiatives such as employment and social security for a just transition, the National Assembly Chairman stated that Vietnam focuses on rapid, sustainable and inclusive development. The biggest goal stated in the Party's platform and Constitution is a rich people, a strong country, fairness, democracy and civilization.

The National Assembly Chairman added that Vietnam is currently focusing on two 100-year goals. That is, by 2030, when the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam is celebrated, Vietnam will become a developing country with modern industry and high average income. By 2045, when the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) is celebrated, Vietnam will become a developed country with high income. This is also the political and economic basis for Vietnam to make a commitment to achieve net emissions of "0", Net Zero by 2050 at COP 26.

Therefore, Vietnam welcomes and supports any global goals and initiatives that have such similarities. In fact, the Vietnamese National Assembly is focusing all efforts on building development-enabling institutions, including serving the cause of equitable energy transition and digital transformation.

The National Assembly Chairman hopes that Vietnam's development partners, including the ILO, will join hands with the Vietnamese Government in implementing projects that comply with loan agreements, agreements and commitments between the two parties and are in harmony with Vietnamese law.

Thanking the National Assembly Chairman for his profound sharing, the ILO General Director said that he will continue to cooperate closely with Vietnam, together with United Nations organizations to speed up the progress and effectively implement development cooperation projects with Vietnam.

WIN