Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chairs conference on developing the 'silver economy'
WVR/VNA - On the morning of March 11, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired a conference on developing the "silver economy" globally and adapting Vietnam's policies and strategies.
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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chairs an online conference on the global silver economy and Vietnam's policy and strategy adaptation. |
The conference was held in person at the Government headquarters and online with 34 provinces and cities. Attendees included Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Chairman of the National Committee on the Elderly in Vietnam; ministers and heads of related agencies; leaders from ministries, central agencies; representatives from the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, international organizations in Vietnam; experts and scientists.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the "silver economy" is a strategically significant topic for sustainable development, especially given the rapidly aging global population, including in Vietnam.
Analyzing the global context, the Prime Minister noted that finding new, sustainable growth drivers that are less dependent on external factors has become more urgent than ever, promoting development while ensuring fairness, progress, and social welfare.
With the increasing elderly population, the "silver economy" is becoming an inevitable development trend worldwide.
The Prime Minister shared that Vietnam entered the aging population phase in 2011, with a rapidly increasing elderly population. It is projected that by 2030, Vietnam will have approximately 18 million elderly people, an increase of nearly 4 million from 2024.
This situation presents both challenges and opportunities; it creates significant social welfare pressure but also serves as a catalyst to seek new growth models for rapid and sustainable national development.
The Party and State are particularly focused on caring for and facilitating the contributions of the elderly community. The political and legal framework for the "silver economy" in Vietnam has been clearly established through the Party and State's policies on adapting to population aging, caring for the elderly, and promoting their role.
In the action program implementing the 14th National Party Congress Resolution, the Party Central Committee's Commission for Policies and Strategies has been tasked with leading the development of a proposal for the "silver economy" in Vietnam to enhance the welfare and quality of life for the elderly and leverage their contributions to socio-economic development.
The Government has issued a national strategy for the elderly until 2035. Recently, in Resolution No. 36/NQ-CP on March 6, the Government proposed solutions to promote high-quality healthcare services – a core pillar of the "silver economy".
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| An online conference on the global silver economy and Vietnam's policy and strategy adaptation. (Photo: VNA) |
Recalling President Ho Chi Minh's words on the role of the elderly, the Prime Minister emphasized the view that "the elderly are not a burden, but a valuable resource for national development". Based on this, he urged conference participants to exchange international experiences on population aging and developing the "silver economy"; drawing lessons for Vietnam's strategy and policy formulation.
The Prime Minister called for an assessment of the current state and outcomes of implementing the national strategy for the elderly in adapting to population aging, particularly identifying limitations, shortcomings, causes, and practical lessons, especially at local levels.
He requested delegates to propose specific policies and solutions; development models for the "silver economy"; and solutions linked to science and technology, digital transformation, green transition, and entrepreneurship.
This approach aims to shift from viewing the elderly as a burden to seeing them as an opportunity for development, ensuring social welfare, creating jobs, and harnessing the wisdom of the elderly, while maintaining high humanitarian values.
According to the program, delegates at the conference will hear summaries on global "silver economy" development and proactive adaptation of Vietnam's policies and strategies; the implementation status of the national strategy for the elderly and the Prime Minister's directive on enhancing work for the elderly in adapting to population aging; and the implementation of the proposal "Elderly participation in promoting digital transformation, green transition, entrepreneurship, and job creation".
Delegates will also discuss the global development of the "silver economy" and ensuring national interests; proposing the development of a "silver economy" model adapted to population aging in Vietnam.
(Source: WVR/VNA)
