HANOI (ILO News) – Tthe ILO co-organised a workshop on Social Cohesion together with the Institute of Labour, Science and Social Affairs (ILSSA), the OECD, and the Hans Siedel Foundation in 30 May 2012. The event was chaired by Vice minister of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Trong Dam.

Mr. Yoon Youngmo, Chief Technical Advisor of the Industrial Relations project, and Carlos Galian, Associate Expert on Social Protection, were the ILO speakers. The ILO highlighted the gaps of the social protection system in Viet Nam, and encouraged the Government to reduce fragmentation and protect the informal sector, or the missing middle. Furthermore, the ILO emphasized the importance of labour market governance to ensure social cohesion, especially industrial relations and minimum wage policies.

MoLISA Viceminister Dam embraced the concept of social cohesion put forward by the OECD. Moreover, the Viceminister welcomed ILO's social protection proposals and invited the ILO to work closely with MoLISA to implement the Party Resolution on Social Protection, once that it is approved.