Abundant chances for Vietnamese, Francophone businesses to seek partnership: forum hinh anh 1The Francophone business forum took place on March 24 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –There are great chances for businesses from Vietnam and the Francophone community to promote their partnership in agriculture, sustainable energy and digital product and service supply, heard a Vietnam-Francophone business forum on March 24.

Regarding the collaboration potential in the business of digital products and services between the two sides, Nguyen Trong Duong, deputy head of the Enterprise Management Department under the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) said that digital economy and digital transformation are promising areas in Vietnam.

He noted that information and communication technology (ICT) sector of Vietnam is growing at around 10 percent per year, while many types of Internet-based digital business have also seen breakthrough growth in recent years.

The digital transformation process in different sectors has also generated many opportunities for enterprises, he said.

The Vietnamese Government is building strategies to boost the development of these areas, he said, noting that following the issuance of a national digital transformation programme with three pillars - digital government, digital economy and digital society, the Prime Minister has approved a strategy on e-government towards digital government in the 2021-2025 period. The official added that the MIC has also submitted to the Government a draft national strategy on the development of digital economy and digital society until 2025 with a vision to 2030.
 
Those moves of the Government are important in promoting the sector, Duong said, adding that last year, Vietnam's digital economy grew 28 percent and contributed 9.6 percent to the country’s GDP.

Lydie Hakizimana, Chairwoman and CEO of African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Global Network said that 60 percent of the population in the 140-million-strong African market are under 30 with high demand for digital products and engagement in the digital economy and digital transformation process. She held that opportunities are abundant for Vietnamese businesses in the market.
Abundant chances for Vietnamese, Francophone businesses to seek partnership: forum hinh anh 2Participants at the forum (Photo: VNA)
In the field of renewable energy, participants gave recommendations on how to encourage the use of renewable energy in a positive and efficient manner to mitigate climate change impacts in Vietnam and French-speaking countries.

Hoang Tien Dung, head of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority of the Ministry of Industry and Trade briefed the forum on Vietnam’s power use policy and measures to encourage the application of achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in power-consuming sectors.

He said Vietnam's commitment to net-zero carbon emission in 2050 at the COP26 showed the country's determination to persistently switch from fossil fuels to clean and green energy.

Dung informed that currently, Vietnam is implementing many cooperation projects with international partners, including those from the Francophone member countries.

Highlighting the renewable energy potential of Congo, Kisolokele Mvete, deputy director of the single window agency for enterprise establishment of Congo called on investors from French-speaking countries, including Vietnam, to cooperate with the country to improve its power supply to meet the increasing power demand of local firms.

Meanwhile, during discussion on measures to promote agricultural partnership between Vietnam and Francophone community, Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, head of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that Vietnam is interested  in cooperating with businesses from French-speaking countries in agricultural development.

Vietnam is willing to share its experience and collaborate with Francophone countries and African countries in particular in the field, he said, noting that Vietnam has sent many experts to African countries to assist with high-quality agriculture development.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Phuc Nam from the Asian-African Markets Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that Vietnam and Francophone countries share many similarities in agricultural development criteria and high potential in cooperation in high-quality agriculture expansion. He also clarified seven major favourable conditions for both sides to partner up in the field./.
VNA