Indonesia, Canada intensify cooperation in employment sector: Minister

Jakarta, June 9 (ANTARA) - Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah spoke of her side having bolstered partnership with Canadian Manpower Minister, Seamus O'Regan, in the employment sector through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) framework, G20, and the United Nations (UN). In addition, Indonesia and Canada have forged a cooperative relationship through the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA) to support economic growth, trade, and investment, including creating jobs for people of both nations. "Indonesia hopes that the ICA-CEPA forum can facilitate the two countries to exchange ideas, discuss, and explore trade issues that benefit both parties, which can also support the improvement of the employment sector," Fauziyah noted in a press statement received here, Thursday. Earlier, at the ICA-CEPA meeting, the Canadian government had proposed to form a Working Group on Labor that was aimed at discussing labor issues in both countries. However, Fauziyah stated that the discussion on labor issues should still be included as part of the Economic and Technical Cooperation Working Group on account of the fact that such matters are closely related to other cross-agency economic issues. "The discussion proposed to form an annual discussion forum to exchange views and interests of each country to find a common solution, and there are no further commitments or negotiations," she affirmed. So far, Indonesia has collaborated with several countries in the field of employment to improve skills and competencies in digital transformation, social security, labor market information, training, and productivity as well as labor inspection and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). Fauziyah is optimistic that the meeting would be able to strengthen cooperation in the field of employment between Indonesia and Canada. "I hope that Indonesia would expand its cooperation with Canada in terms of increasing capacity building, especially in the field of employment," she affirmed. Fauziyah also expects Canada's support in the context of implementation of the third meeting of the G20 Employment Working Group, especially pertaining to the drafting of the Declaration of the Minister of Labor and Manpower of the G20 countries.