The European Union (EU) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) - a German political foundation - have co-funded 425,000 EUR (564,700 USD) to improve the governance capacity of local agencies and local small businesses in three cities of Vietnam .
The two-year project implemented by the Association of Cities of Vietnam (ACVN) and KAS targets northern Hai Duong city, central Hue city and southern Tay Ninh city, project manager Ngo Thi Tam said at the project launching ceremony.
Making up over 90 percent of the total number of enterprises in Vietnam, small-and medium-sized enterprises and family businesses have played important roles in sustaining economic growth, reducing poverty, creating jobs and improving the lives of people in the country.
However, local small businesses face challenges, including a lack of available and relevant business training, lack of competent technical advisors, information and technology issues, and limited access to capital.
Communication barriers between local governments and business sectors and the lack of supportive policy mechanisms pose further challenges to enterprises.
"When the business is prospering, more jobs would be created, helping to approach sustainable development," said Nguyen Lan, an advisor to the association.
Lan noted that to some extent, sustainable local governance means to ensure economic growth and living conditions for people, but even in urban areas it remains a challenge.
Under the project, policy dialogues between the central government level and stakeholders would be organised. ACVN will lead the exchange of best practices, draw conclusions and develop national policy recommendations to contribute to the improvement of the legislative framework related to small, local, and family businesses.
Speaking at the project launching ceremony on September 13, Ambassador - Head of the EU delegation to Vietnam Franz Jessen said that the innovative project would contribute to promoting better economic and social conditions for the population in the cities as well as provide practical policy inputs for the Government.-VNA
The two-year project implemented by the Association of Cities of Vietnam (ACVN) and KAS targets northern Hai Duong city, central Hue city and southern Tay Ninh city, project manager Ngo Thi Tam said at the project launching ceremony.
Making up over 90 percent of the total number of enterprises in Vietnam, small-and medium-sized enterprises and family businesses have played important roles in sustaining economic growth, reducing poverty, creating jobs and improving the lives of people in the country.
However, local small businesses face challenges, including a lack of available and relevant business training, lack of competent technical advisors, information and technology issues, and limited access to capital.
Communication barriers between local governments and business sectors and the lack of supportive policy mechanisms pose further challenges to enterprises.
"When the business is prospering, more jobs would be created, helping to approach sustainable development," said Nguyen Lan, an advisor to the association.
Lan noted that to some extent, sustainable local governance means to ensure economic growth and living conditions for people, but even in urban areas it remains a challenge.
Under the project, policy dialogues between the central government level and stakeholders would be organised. ACVN will lead the exchange of best practices, draw conclusions and develop national policy recommendations to contribute to the improvement of the legislative framework related to small, local, and family businesses.
Speaking at the project launching ceremony on September 13, Ambassador - Head of the EU delegation to Vietnam Franz Jessen said that the innovative project would contribute to promoting better economic and social conditions for the population in the cities as well as provide practical policy inputs for the Government.-VNA
