Ministers of labour from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam (CLMTV) together agreed to improve their migration management system and share responsibilities in contributing to safe labour migration.

A welder work at a mechanical workshop. VNS Photo Cong Thanh

The reaffirmation was included in the CLMTV joint declaration on safe labour migration at the 2^nd Ministerial Conference on Labour Co-operation in CLMTV in Da Nang yesterday.

The ministers also committed to boosting information exchanges, and encouraging legal cross-border workers, and employment through bilateral agreements amongst the 5 countries.

Officials said that each country must protect the rights of migrant workers, and prevent human trafficking and illegal migration.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that labour migration is inevitable and crucial for economic development in CLMTV.

He said migrant workers had boosted the economic growth rate from 6 to 8% in each ASEAN country, and labour migration in CLMTV had increased by 6 times compared to 1990.

“Although gaining positive growth over past decades, migrant workers created big challenges for every country in the region such as human trafficking and crimes resulting from illegal migrant labour,” Mr Dam said.

“The 5 countries should promote education and vocational training for labourers and exchange information or experience in management of migrant workers.  Migrant workers must be given fair treatment like indigenous workers in each country. We should also boost dialogues on problems and risks at forums in ensuring social security and the rights of migrant workers.”, he added

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Doan Mau Diep, who chaired the conference, said the joint declaration on safe labour migration will improve cooperation amongst CLMTV in the context of globalisation.

“Each country committed to proper actions in dealing with risks that migrant worker face. Participating countries also agreed to build a common mechanism in supporting migrant workers,” Mr Diep told Viet Nam News.

“Deputies also undercored the need for each country to develop its national policies on labour migration, including the recruiting, sending and receiving procedures, to be in accordance with international standards to promote safe labour migration,” he said.

Mr Diep added members of participating countries stressed pre-departure education of employment contracts, skills, languages, laws, work disciplines and prohibitions in the countries of destination to avoid conflicts between migrant workers and local employers.

The 5 countries also agreed to monitor the treatment of migrant workers to ensure they are protected by laws and regulations.

The joint declaration also concerned the sharing of information among sending and receiving countries in CLMVT in the implementation of International Conventions and Recommendations on promoting decent work for migrant workers.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Viet Nam, about 80,000 foreigners work in Viet Nam, while more than 600,000 Vietnamese labourers work aboard.

Taiwan is the most popular destination for Vietnamese migrant workers with 70,000, while Japan hosted 40,000.

Viet Nam inked an agreement with Laos on migrant employment from 1995, and the country has been cooperating with Thailand in expanding employment in different fields such as construction and fishing.

Viet Nam and Thailand have also offered favourable conditions for migrant labourers.

Thailand’s Minister of Labour, General Sirichai Distakul, said Thailand has been doing its share to promote safe and orderly migration and legal employment.

“Our collaborative effort to promote safe and orderly migration is to ensure that all the workers residing in Thailand can enjoy full legal protection and are entitled to all the rights and responsibilities as stipulated by the law,” he said.

“Migrant workers contribute greatly to our economic growth, and action plans have been made and skills training curricula for workers, trainers and assessors are also specially designed to reflect the training needs,” he added.

The Thai Minister also said the newly implemented law concerning foreign workers’ employment and related measures aims to combat human trafficking and illegal employment.

Myanmar has drafted new laws and amended laws in accordance with international practices and standard, according to the ministry of labour, immigration and population of Myanmar.

Minister of Labour and Social Welfare of Laos, Khampheng Saysompheng, said Laos has been committed to reflecting the resolutions of ASEAN Meetings, particularly the ASEAN Declaration on protection and promotion of rights and interests of migrant workers.

He said Laos had agreed memorandum of understandings on migration with Thailand and Viet Nam to protect the rights of international migrant workers.

Viet Nam has offered skilled labourers from foreign countries working in high-tech industries and in the fields that the lacks high-quality manpower.

(Source: VNS/ DA NANG Today)