At the event (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Planning andInvestment together with the US Agency for International Development (USAID)co-organised a conference in Hanoi on July 24 to assist enterprises indeveloping sustainable supply chains for better growth of the businesscommunity and the economy.
Participants discussed a range of matters at the conference,which was part of the USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises Project(LinkSME), including the challenges and opportunities in supply chains; valuechains for Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); andencouraging SMEs to engage in value chains.
They also delved into expectations and the needs of companiesthat sit at the beginning of chains, while exchanging opinions on how to helpbusinesses quickly respond to unexpected changes in supply chains.
Addressing the conference, Vietnamese Minister of Planning andInvestment Nguyen Chi Dung said that despite Vietnam’s achievements in FDIattraction and private sector development, there remains a lack of links in thebusiness community, particularly between SMEs and companies of larger scale aswell as between Vietnamese and foreign enterprises.
The participation of Vietnamese firms in global value chainsis still modest, he said, recommending they seek new opportunities amidthe changes taking place in supply chains and to reach overseas markets andaccess advanced technologies.
Competent public agencies and sectors should act quickly tosupport enterprises in seizing opportunities and developing sustainable valuechains, he stressed.
Director of the USAID Office in Vietnam, Michael Greene, saidthe US has worked with Vietnam to help its private sector recover from COVID-19and for SMEs adapt to shifts toward sustainability in global supply chains.
In the near future, he added, the LinkSME project willimplement plans to support enterprises in digital transition, competitivenessimprovements, and engaging more deeply in global production networks and valuechains./.
VNA
