Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and trade promotion agencies in the Central Highlands and central region are being invited to join in a programme to improve SME export competitiveness.
At a conference to introduce the programme in the central city of Da Nang on July 9, the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said this is a continuation of the VIE/61/94 project funded by the Swiss Economic Cooperation and Development Division (SECO) to assist Vietnam in trade and export promotion.
The four-year programme has a budget of 3.89 million USD to which SECO will provide 3.32 million USD. It is designed to increase SMEs’ contribution to the national export turnover by improving their access to trade promotion services at regional and lower levels.
In order to achieve this, local commercial plazas, trade promotion agencies and local-level goods industry associations will receive aid to enhance their capacity in trade promotion and become reliable information suppliers to businesses.
In addition, the programme will support the establishment of a national export council, so as to reinforce Government officials’ capabilities in overseeing and evaluating the implementation of the national export strategy.
The national programme will focus on promising localities in the northern, central and southern regions. During the first year, it will define prioritised export products for each region based on their export potential.
Initially, handicraft, fruit and vegetable industries will be helped to promote exports.
Other industries will be chosen based on the Government’s policy and consultations with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as local authorities and trade promotion agencies.
The programme was launched in Hanoi on June 13.-VNA
At a conference to introduce the programme in the central city of Da Nang on July 9, the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said this is a continuation of the VIE/61/94 project funded by the Swiss Economic Cooperation and Development Division (SECO) to assist Vietnam in trade and export promotion.
The four-year programme has a budget of 3.89 million USD to which SECO will provide 3.32 million USD. It is designed to increase SMEs’ contribution to the national export turnover by improving their access to trade promotion services at regional and lower levels.
In order to achieve this, local commercial plazas, trade promotion agencies and local-level goods industry associations will receive aid to enhance their capacity in trade promotion and become reliable information suppliers to businesses.
In addition, the programme will support the establishment of a national export council, so as to reinforce Government officials’ capabilities in overseeing and evaluating the implementation of the national export strategy.
The national programme will focus on promising localities in the northern, central and southern regions. During the first year, it will define prioritised export products for each region based on their export potential.
Initially, handicraft, fruit and vegetable industries will be helped to promote exports.
Other industries will be chosen based on the Government’s policy and consultations with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as local authorities and trade promotion agencies.
The programme was launched in Hanoi on June 13.-VNA
