Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 20 regarding cooperation in accelerating the implementation of ILO conventions in Vietnam for the next ten years. The document was signed on 20 May 2021 for the 2021-2030 period. 

This partnership includes raising awareness of the international labor standards, applying the ILO Conventions to Vietnamese laws, promoting the national capacity to implement and develop proposals for ratifying further ILO conventions. MoLISA Minister Dao Ngoc Dung states that the alliance is an important event that marks a new period of cooperation for the country. This helps the Vietnamese Government realize common goals regarding human rights, citizen rights, and employment relationships. 

Chang Hee Lee, Vietnam’s Country Director for ILO, has made significant contributions to achievements in labor and employment. He helped Vietnam urge the EU to ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), amending the 2019 Labour Code, improving the MoLISA’s State management capacity, and raising the country’s position in the ILO. 

“If all goes as planned, Viet Nam will become a leading country among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states in promoting international labor standards. I believe that it will lead to social upgrading, which is required for Vietnam to move towards becoming an upper-middle-income country,” says Change Hee Lee.

Vietnam has ratified 25 ILO Conventions to date, including seven out of eight fundamental conventions ranging from collective bargaining, non-discrimination, child labor, and forced labor.