ASEAN ministers discuss worker-related issues within IPEF cooperation
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and several ASEAN top-ranked officials discussed the role of third parties related to manpower issues within the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) cooperation.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto invites a number of ASEAN ministers to align views on crucial matters ahead of the ministerial-level meeting of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in Detroit, US, on May 27. (Photo: ANTARA)
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesian CoordinatingMinister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and several ASEAN top-rankedofficials discussed the role of third parties related to manpower issueswithin the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) cooperation.
The minister said in a statement on May 28 that themeeting was held ahead of the ministerial-level meeting of IPEF in Detroit, the US, on May 27 (local time).
The discussion was attended by leaders of seven ASEANcountries delegations, namely Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia,Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
During the discussion, the participants highlightedthe roles of labor unions and civil society in a number of issues related tomanpower in ASEAN countries and emphasised the need to forge consensus withinthe IPEF cooperation.
On the occasion, Hartarto noted that the mechanism inthe International Labour Organisation (ILO) could serve as a solution toovercome manpower problems by involving the roles of governments, companies,and labour unions.
Efforts to resolve manpower issues within the IPEFmust be in line with the ILO's mechanism and carried out through it, by taking intoaccount domestic regulations, he said.
Singaporean Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yongconfirmed Hartarto's idea, saying that the manpower issues are indeed crucialones, which require countries to pay close attention and consider theirdomestic conditions.
Meanwhile, Special Adviser of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Pornpimol Kanchanalak affirmed that his country is committed tohandling such issues through the mechanism of the ILO.
Furthermore, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and TradeNguyen Hong Diem conveyed the country's critical concern on manpower issues,adding that the condition of each IPEF member is varied in terms of measures tohandle such issues.
In conclusion, the ASEAN delegates agreed thatthe discussion on the issues of manpower within the IPEF cooperation frameworkmust be in line with the ILO's mechanism and it should be carried out through themechanism, by taking domestic regulations as considerations./.
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Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto invites a number of ASEAN ministers to align views on crucial matters ahead of the ministerial-level meeting of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in Detroit, US, on May 27. (Photo: ANTARA) 
