The 4th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting
Kumamoto, Japan
September 29-30, 2001
Joint Ministerial Statement
1 We, the Ministers responsible for human resources development in APEC
member economies, met in Kumamoto, Japan, on September 29 and 30, 2001 for the
4th APEC Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministerial Meeting. We
discussed the main theme- "Human resources development for both the advancement
of society and economy and the sharing of prosperity with people in the context
of globalisation". The APEC Secretariat was present.
2 We recognize that the new economy provides many opportunities for further
growth and development. In developing a human resources strategy for the new
economy, we are now facing the challenges of an environment of slower economic
growth and higher unemployment, as well as changes in industrial structure,
demographics, skill requirements and forms of employment.
3 We recognize that government must work closely with a variety of partners
to achieve effective and sustainable outcomes. This was noted at the APEC Ministerial
Meeting in Brunei Darussalam in 2000 and the APEC High Level Meeting on Human
Capacity Building
in Beijing, China this year. At this meeting, we renew our determination to
strengthen cooperative partnerships among stakeholders.
Acknowledging APEC Activities
4 We highly commend the APEC High Level Meeting on Human Capacity Building
(HCB) and support the Beijing Initiative as providing opportunities for further
work in HCB. The success of the meeting demonstrated the strength of partnership
among stakeholders, which provided a deeper understanding of human resources
in the new economy and opened up new possibilities for action. We recognize
the launching of Ecotech Action Plans on human resources development and welcome
the work of the Ad Hoc Task Force for Strengthening Social Safety Net Activities.
We call upon the Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) and other
relevant fora to take follow-up actions and incorporate the outcomes of these
initiatives into their work programs as appropriate.
5 We commend the HRDWG for its achievements and the wide range of projects
that were initiated in response to the priorities highlighted at the 3 rd
HRD Ministerial Meeting. We also commend the HRDWG for its work since that meeting
to improve its operational efficiency, strengthen coordination with other APEC
fora and achieve its mission.
6 We note the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC and agree
to intensify our efforts to foster gender mainstreaming in APEC activities.
We reaffirm that gender mainstreaming and human resources development are closely
related, cross cutting themes in APEC. We welcome the priority accorded to women's
issues by Mexico as host economy in 2002 and commend Mexico's initiative to
organize the 2 nd APEC Ministerial Meeting on Women.
Labour Market for the New Economy [anchor]
7 The new economy is impacting upon all of our economies, albeit in different
ways and to varying degrees. We recognize that while the new economy creates
unprecedented opportunities, it also presents challenges to businesses, workers,
education and training providers and policy makers. Our task is to better understand
the forces that shape and drive the new economy, address the challenges that
it presents to the workforce of the 21 st century, and foster an
environment which assures greater access to the opportunities generated, and
more widely shared prosperity.
8 We continue to experience volatility in labour markets, brought about
by the rapid shifts in economic conditions, technology, and industrial structure.
These shifts can have a devastating effect on certain groups of workers. Labour
market policies, employment services, and social safety nets must provide for
a smooth transition from school-to-work, from work-to-work, from unemployment-to-work,
and from work-to-retirement.
9 Labour market policy should be proactive in order to respond to the
changing nature of jobs, family structures and workplaces. We affirm our support
for policies which respect a work and family balance, and note that achieving
this balance can pose particular challenges for women. As opportunities arise
in new work arrangements, we will also seek to work with stakeholders, where
appropriate, to promote competitiveness while protecting the interests of workers.
Knowledge and skill development to bring opportunity for success to all
workers in the context of globalization [anchor]
10 A skilled and adaptable labour force is vital for sustained economic growth
in the new economy. Collective efforts by all stakeholders are required to promote
human resources development by increasing individual participation in lifelong
learning and skills upgrading in response to the rising skills demands of the
new economy. High levels of skill development will require economies to implement
appropriate, comprehensive labour market policies, which must respond, in particular,
to the imperative of narrowing the digital divide.
11 We agree that access to quality basic education and the development
of basic literacy and numeracy skills are an essential foundation for further
learning and skill acquisition. Individuals must engage in lifelong learning
to promote sustained employability. Equally, workers and employers should be
encouraged to invest in skill development and skill upgrading. In this connection,
we affirm that workers? skills should be recognized fully in the labour market.
The development of skills standards within each economy contributes to effective
skill development and economic performance. In addition, accurate, relevant
labour market information developed in cooperation with employers about actual
and prospective demand for skills and occupations can prepare individuals to
benefit from the evolving employment environment.
12 Globalisation, technological change and demographic shifts suggest
that investment in the training, retraining and development of employees is
a priority for enhanced organizational performance, and to attract and retain
workers. All organizations should be encouraged to become learning organizations
as the workplace is a key component of lifelong learning systems. In particular,
we recognize the need to provide micro enterprises and SMEs with ongoing training
and capacity building opportunities. These opportunities should include training
in financial and trading practices. This will bring about higher levels of productivity,
quality and competitiveness for these enterprises and the community.
13 Even with globalization, many employment opportunities are often located
in the local community. Skill development in the local community should be responsive
to local needs and priorities. The community should be a focus in skill development
activities.
14 In the face of the skills demand of the 21 st century workforce,
we must draw on the talents of all of our people ? including those who may have
been excluded from the workforce until now. Mobilizing people with disabilities,
women, youth, older workers and indigenous people has become an economic and
social imperative.
Involvement of stakeholders such as labour and business to develop human
resources development strategies [anchor]
15 The new economy and globalization place increased emphasis on strong
and productive partnerships between all stakeholders in human resources development.
Partnerships must be inclusive and incorporate both traditional HRD stakeholders
of business, labour, government and the educational training sector as well
as other stakeholders in the community such as workers, families, community
and voluntary groups, and other organizations including international organizations,
as appropriate. We recognize the importance accorded to stakeholders and partnerships
in the Beijing Initiative and the Human Capacity Building Strategy for the New
Economy currently being developed.
16 We hold that values such as mutual trust and responsibility, inclusiveness
and respect for each other's perspective and contribution, are important in
underpinning human resources development and the advancement of all people.
17 We recognize that the new economy will present many challenges for
the workplace of the future and will require new approaches and levels of cooperation
and dialogue between the key stakeholders for economies to remain competitive.
Closing
18 The new economy offers opportunities for raising the standard of living
of people throughout the region. Our discussions made clear the importance of
knowledge in the new economy as well as the increasing need for adaptability
in the organization of work, in the labour market and in our policies. Cooperation
and information sharing between economies is critical to bridging the digital
divide.
19 We agree to the following priorities for the HRDWG, as it continues
to confront human resources development issues in this context:
- Addressing the growing skills gap and preparing our people to respond to
the opportunities of the new economy through increased access to quality basic
education, relevant market-driven skills training, retraining and lifelong
learning;
- Promoting efficient and equitable labour markets through policies and services
that smooth the transition into jobs;
- Maximizing our labour force potential by tapping underutilized pools of
workers such as people with disabilities, women, youth, older workers, under-employed
workers and indigenous people;
- Increasing our collaboration with business, workers, educators and training
institutions;
- Building capacity to manage the transformation of our workplaces; and
- Addressing the needs of informal sector workers and facilitating their participation
in the mainstream economy.
Bearing in mind the numerous related activities underway in APEC, we instruct
the HRDWG in addressing these priorities to aim to increase the complementarity
of the various initiatives, seek to avoid duplication of efforts and enhance
the sustainability of stakeholders? partnerships.
20 We note the ongoing work of the Human Capacity Building Coordinating
Group (HCBCG) relating to the Human Capacity Building Strategy for the New Economy
and support the continued collaboration with, and participation in the HCBCG
by the HRDWG.
21 The statement of the 4th HRD Ministerial Meeting shall be called "The
Kumamoto Statement." We shall report the outcomes of our meeting to APEC
Ministers and Leaders at their Meetings in October 2001 in Shanghai, China.
22 We express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Government of
Japan and the citizens of Kumamoto for their warm hospitality and the excellent
arrangements for the meeting.
23 We look forward to further discussions on HRD issues at the 5th HRD
Ministerial Meeting. We instruct the HRDWG to prepare for the next Ministerial
Meeting.
