Bandar Seri Begawan - The 4th ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers' Conference was recently officially opened by Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dzung, under the theme 'Social protection and employment - A key to inclusive growth.'

In his opening speech, Nguyen Tan Dzung stressed that it is timely to think and focus on social protection and employment of which is important and is now an issue in most countries of the world.

This is where cooperation is important to cultivate decent work, social protection, occupational safety and health in each country, especially ILO members.

The prime minister also highlighted that in doing so there are two important issues, which are - best practices and policy making, which includes development and implementation.

Throughout the conference, ASEM member countries gained a lot through the exchange of good practices in the area of employment and social policy in the context of current and future situation on the labour market of the ASEM countries; identification of issues of common interest in the context of other international discussions, as such in the framework of ILO, UN and G20; and taking stock of projects and identification of future cooperation projects between 2012 and 2014.

Just before the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration was made, a courtesy call took place in the bilateral meeting room of Melia Hanoi Hotel between Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and Yoshiteru Uramoto, the Regional Director of the ILO Regional Office for the Asia Pacific.

Also present were Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs Dato Paduka Awg Haji Abdul Majid bin Mangarshah, Commissioner of Labour Ramlee jamudin, along with senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Labour Department.

Present on behalf of the ILO Regional Office were Maurizio Busi, Director of ILO Decent Work Team For East and Southeast-Asia and the Pacific; Mr Gyorgy Sziracki, Director for Vietnam; and senior officers from the regional office.

During the courtesy call, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi congratulated Yoshiteru Uramoto for being appointed as the new Regional Director of the ILO Regional Office for the Asia Pacific and both parties discussed labour-related issues.

He also thanked Yoshiteru Uramoto for the support given by the International Labour Office, which has provided assistance in labour related issues including sending experts from the office to deliver a talk and give guidance on matters such as the Maritime Labour Convention.

The final session for the conference made an adoption for the Hanoi Declaration where this labour ministerial declaration will contribute to the 9th ASEM Summit to be held in Vientiane Laos on November 5 to 6.