APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra (5th L) with Minister Huynh Thanh Dat (Center), Deputy Minister Le Xuan Dinh (3rd R), Ministry of Science and Technology, APO Director for Vietnam Ha Minh Hiep (1st L), and honorable guests and speakers of the forum.

Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata visited Vietnam 12–13 December to participate in the National Productivity Forum and hold discussions with the Minister of Science and Technology, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, academic leaders, and Productivity Club members at the Academy of Journalism & Communication on strategic collaborations for advancing productivity improvement efforts.

Vietnam’s National Productivity Forum 2023.

Vietnam’s 2023 National Productivity Forum, themed “Accelerating Vietnam’s Development with the Productivity Driver” was the first event focusing on productivity at the national scale as set out in the productivity master plan issued by the Prime Minister in 2021 to discuss and share experiences on productivity improvement solutions for the country. The event was attended by policymakers, productivity experts, academic researchers, and representatives of international organizations, including the APO, World Bank, and International Labour Organization.

Secretary-General Dr. Indra delivering his inaugural remarks at the forum.

During the inaugural ceremony, Secretary-General Dr. Indra congratulated the Vietnamese government on hosting the event and on the nation’s impressive record in inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized the four key productivity drivers of innovation, human capital, institutions, and structural change as pivotal catalysts for accelerating Vietnam’s development. The Secretary-General confirmed the APO’s commitment to working with Vietnam in its productivity endeavors by providing policy advisory services, capacity-building programs, smart initiatives, and knowledge-sharing platforms. Secretary-General Dr. Indra met Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat during the forum and updated him on recent progress in collaboration while reaffirming APO support for Vietnam’s efforts to enhance productivity in both the private and public sectors at local, regional, and provincial levels.

Secretary-General Dr. Indra (L) with Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai (R).

On 13 December, Secretary-General Dr. Indra paid a courtesy call on Chairman Phan Van Mai of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to discuss cooperation in boosting public-sector productivity in the city. He then inaugurated the workshop on Good Regulatory Practice (GRP) for Administrative Reform held for municipal civil servants.

Secretary-General Dr. Indra (center) with members of the Academy of Journalism & Communication Productivity Club (APC)

The APO Secretary-General also visited the Academy of Journalism & Communication for an interactive session with leaders, lecturers, and members of its Productivity Club. He congratulated the academy on establishing the first-of-its-kind productivity club for students in Vietnam and emphasized that it was a vital step toward developing highly skilled human resources for Vietnam’s labor market.