Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn delivers a speech at the workshop. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies should have an innovative and comprehensive approach and specific co-operation programmes to bolster the inclusive future of work in the digital era, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn.

Digital technology and other new technologies have had fundamental impacts on the global economy and international economic relations as well as the jobs of the future, he said at a two-day workshop entitled “Innovative Skills for Inclusive Future of Work in the Digital Age” in Hà Nội, which ended yesterday.  

It is time for APEC to advance its leading role in promoting innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific region and transforming the region into a global hub of new technologies, he said.

The APEC economies also need to develop innovative skills, narrow the digital gap, provide quality training and retraining and develop a system of vocational education within member economies, he added.

APEC also needs to accelerate technical and economic partnerships to provide member economies, particularly developing members, broader access to digital technology and to help them improve adaptability and risk management.

The workshop was initiated by Việt Nam to follow up on the outcomes of the APEC Year 2017 on human resources development in the digital era and promotion of the digital economy. The initiative was co-sponsored by a number of APEC member economies including Japan, Russia, Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

With the robust growth of new technologies, Asia-Pacific will be the region to see the greatest transformation of work in the future, according to Executive Director of APEC Secretariat Dr. Rebecca Sta Maria.

Maria highly spoke of Việt Nam and the co-sponsors for hosting a workshop on such a practical topic to review vital innovative skills in the digital era, thereby promoting APEC co-operation to help the regional workforce adapt to changes in work.

The initiative will contribute to the implementation of APEC’s goal of developing high-quality human resources and fostering inclusive economic, financial and social development.

The event focused on making recommendations which will be submitted for review at the APEC 2019 meetings in Santiago, Chile on August 29 and 30.

The workshop gathered more than 100 local and international speakers and delegates, including many from APEC member economies.

It also included representatives from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), APEC Secretariat, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), ministries, businesses, universities and vocational schools. — VNS