APO Secretary-General AKP Mochtan (L) conversing with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, 29 November. The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the importance of productivity in Vietnam’s economic agenda and outlined the APO support expected in defining the contributions of productivity to ongoing structural changes.

Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Secretary-General Dr. AKP Mochtan made an official visit to Vietnam from 28 November to 1 December 2019. He held meetings with several government and national assembly leaders including Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien. Secretary-General Mochtan congratulated Vietnam on its rapid economic growth rate, which was one of the highest among APO members. He also reaffirmed APO support for national-level policy planning by member governments as part of the pivot from project-based programs.

Recognition of the role of productivity at the highest levels of government, together with continuous APO efforts to assist Vietnam, will contribute to the sustainable socioeconomic growth of the country in the future. The Secretary-General also explained the priority agenda he planned to pursue by connecting APO programs with meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the “centrality of productivity” while engaging more vulnerable groups like persons with disabilities, youth, and women in the labor force to make productivity more inclusive.

Courtesy call on National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien (R), 28 November.

APO Secretary-General AKP Mochtan (L) with Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh, 30 November.

Meeting with Vice Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung (center R), 29November.

In discussion with Director General of Directorate for Standards, Quality and Metrology and APO Director for Vietnam Tran Van Vinh (center R), 29 November.