London (VNA) – Vietnam stands as one of Ireland’s most dynamic and promising economic partners in ASEAN, Assistant Principal at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment of Ireland Phyllis Kelly told the Vietnam - Ireland Trade & Investment Forum 2025 recently held in Dublin.
According to him, Vietnam’s ongoing institutional and business climate reforms, combined with extensive integration into the global economy, have created a solid foundation to draw quality investment flows and enhance international trade competitiveness, contributing to realising the goal of strong and sustainable economic growth in coming decades.
Pat O’Riordan, ASEAN Director at Enterprise Ireland – the Irish Government’s enterprise development agency, underscored Vietnam’s increasingly important role in Ireland’s cooperation strategy in ASEAN.
Enterprise Ireland considers Vietnam a key market for Irish companies seeking to expand their presence in Southeast Asia, particularly in high technology, innovation, green economy, and sustainable development, aided by Vietnam’s broad network of free trade agreements, he said.
Le Dinh Ba, Commercial Counselor and Vietnamese Trade Representative to the UK and Ireland, reaffirmed Vietnam’s determination to continue promoting trade liberalisation, market opening, and quality investment attraction from Europe, including Ireland.
He highlighted renewable energy, green finance, digital transformation and high-tech industries as key cooperation areas, adding that the Vietnam Trade Office will continue acting as a bridge to help companies from both nations find partners, link value chains and launch concrete joint projects.
Irish companies showcased their capabilities and investment interests in Vietnam, focusing on airport infrastructure management and operations, biotechnology and environment treatment solutions for sustainable development, as well as eco-friendly technologies and products.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese enterprises presented opportunities in sectors of their competitive edges, including coffee, information technology and digital transformation, industrial and high-tech parks, and investment incentives for high-tech zones.
Their representatives stressed that Vietnam is not only a dynamic consumer market but also an attractive destination for Irish investors, supported by an improving business climate and extensive global integration.
The event was co-hosted by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and Ireland, the Vietnamese Embassy in Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. As part of a broader series of trade and investment promotion activities in 2025, it drew strong interest from stakeholders and business communities of both countries, with 50 companies attending in person and 100 joining online.
Discussions throughout the event highlighted the complementary strengths of Vietnamese and Irish firms, opening substantial opportunities for expanded trade, investment and value chain integration./.
