BANGKOK (ILO News) – Accelerating the mutual recognition of skills as an essential tool for safe migration and labour protection in the ASEAN region was discussed at a meeting held by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The first ASEAN Skills Focal Points meeting took place on 10-11 August 2015, in collaboration with the ILO’s Regional Skills Programme and the ASEAN TRIANGLE Project, in Bangkok. The meeting brought together skills specialists from eight of the 10 ASEAN Member States, as well as skills experts, representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and the ILO.

Action plans for the implementation of the mutual recognition of skills (MRS) were discussed and revised. The ASEAN countries will now organize a series of bi-lateral and multi-lateral meetings to push the process forward, for which the ILO will continue to provide technical support.

Skills Specialists from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam, discussed current challenges and opportunities to related skills development in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015, and the implementation of the MRS, and shared updates on the skills programmes in the ASEAN countries.

“The ILO has initiated the implementation of mutual recognition of skills as a key tool for skilled labour mobility for technical and vocational skills. A number of initiatives have been implemented to move forward the skills recognition process. An important outcome was the action plan agreed by the ASEAN member States to identify specific skills and occupations for Mutual Recognition of Skills of migrant workers,” said Mr Maurizio Bussi, Director of ILO Decent Work Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific.

“The implementation of mutual recognition of skills will be beneficial for both sending and receiving countries as well as migrant workers”, said Mr Arrug Phrommanee, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Labour.

The setting up of a Regional Skills Technical Working Group (RSTWG), a working-level technical group that will support ASEAN skills-related activities in the ILO, including the Mutual Recognition of Skills project, was proposed and agreed on during the meeting. The RSTWG will comprise national focal points designated by the ASEAN governments to liaise with the ILO and to coordinate national skills-related programmes.

The ILO’s Mutual Recognition of Skills project is supported by the Government of Republic of Korea. The ASEAN TRIANGLE project is supported by the Government of Canada.