The World Economic Forum on East Asia 2010 will take place on June 6-7, 2010 in Ho Chi Minh City. The Prime Minister has assigned the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in cooperation with the Global Compact Vietnam Network (GCVN) and the Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI), to host a side conference entitled: “Enhancing Vietnam’s Competitiveness for Sustainable Development” on June 5 at Caravel Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Nguyen Quang Vinh, Director of VCCI’s Office of Sustainable Development for Business (SDforB),the event’s organizer.
What is the rationale of the conference?
The World Economic Forum, with its 38-year history, is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. To take advantage of hosting the 19th World Economic Forum on East Asia 2010, as well as Vietnam’s presidency of ASEAN 2010, the Vietnamese Government has had the confidence in VCCI to ask us to host the event, thanks to its important role in the business community.
The side conference will be a good opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to discuss a series of important issues directly with government and business leaders and internationally renowned think tanks, and to network with global and local CEOs who are passionate about revitalizing growth in East Asia and particularly Vietnam.
The event is also an occasion for Vietnam to introduce to the world the country’s main advantages as a business destination, internal and external opportunities and challenges Vietnam will face over the next 5 years, top priorities for Vietnam to improve its competitiveness and move towards sustainable development goals, and the role of the private sector in strengthening competitiveness and sustainability.
Could you introduce main topics to be discussed at the event?
Following the keynote presentation by H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, VCCI’s Chairman and President, Dr. Vu Tien Loc, and leaders and representatives of the Asia Competitiveness Institute, and international organizations and corporations will address the event.
The event comprises of two sessions. Session 1, with the theme of “Vietnam – Putting Competitiveness at the Heart of Growth”, willoverview the latest findings on Vietnam’s competitiveness through a presentation of the Vietnam Competitiveness Report 2009 – 2010. The report was developed at the request of the Vietnamese Government and by a team of international experts from the Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI – Singapore) and local researchers from the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), with technical guidance from Prof Michael Porter’s team in Harvard Business School. The initiative was also supported by USAID’s Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative and other international and Vietnamese partners. It aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the country’s competitiveness pillars, and propose an actionable reform agenda for government and business leaders to enhance competitiveness and productivity in every economic activity.
The presentation is followed by a panel discussion with the participation of keynote panelists from the government, international think tanks, and the international and Vietnamese business community. The panelists will share their views and feedback on the report’s findings, as well as on the agenda for upgrading Vietnam’s competitiveness. Participants will then have an opportunity to directly dialogue with the research team and the panelists on the said topic.
Session 2 will discuss the theme of “Empowering Private Sector in Sustainable Development”. As part of the national strategy for integration and development, the Vietnam Government has adopted the Strategic Orientation for Sustainable Development since 2004 that lays a foundation for fulfilling Vietnam’s commitments to the regional and international community. As the driving economic force of a nation, business communities play a crucial role in ensuring social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The growth of businesses in both quantity and quality, therefore, reflect a nation’s competitiveness and level of growth.
This section will begin by describing how enterprises in Vietnam perceive business conditions where they operate. VCCI will present its long-term plan for sustainable business development and the setting up of Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD).
Developing from that background, a panel discussion will be led by VCCI leaders, CSR Asia and a group of businesses (TBS, Holcim, Unilever, VNH, etc.) focusing on the Promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility as a competitive advantage for future growth. Emphasis will be put on how enterprises utilize their resources and capability to enhance their competitive advantages, thus maximizing their contribution to the overarching goals of sustainable development.
Who are the main participants of the conference?
The organizer gives first priority to Vietnamese companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them access the shared experience and ideas of world-leading CEOs and think tanks.
What are the event’s outcomes for Vietnam?
As you know, the World Economic Forum is considered a market of ideas, therefore, the side event will help Vietnamese SMEs gain new business initiatives shared by international economic experts and government leaders, creating more potential business links and investment partners.
Vietnam is well known as the second fastest growing economy in the world with a vibrant population and potential to become a new emerging Asian Tiger. Therefore, the side event will partly promote the image of Vietnam by introducing its successes in economic management in the context of the recent global crisis, significant improvement in investment environment, and successful implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and response to climate change.
Through the issues discussed at the event, the organizer wants to impress on the international business community that Vietnam is a high potential market for international investors.
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