Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam will have great opportunities as well as challenges as Vietnam is gearing up towards ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the new trade agreements such as Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
It is important for Vietnamese SMEs to enhance their capacity to be able to take advantages from those agreements.
Around 130 SMEs from various sectors operating in Vietnam gathered in a one-dayworkshopin Hanoi on September 17th on “Improving access to regional and global markets for SMEs” co-organized by US Agency for International Development (USAID) and US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) through its joint partnership the US-ASEAN Business Alliance for Competitive SMEs.
It is also supported by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC), ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN), Agency for Enterprises Development, Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).
Thisworkshopconsists of several trainings delivered by US multinational companies, including FedEx, Microsoft, MasterCard, and Baker & McKenzie which covered issues such as supply chain management, cloud technology, digital payments, and legal in daily business activity.
Dang Huy Dong, Vice Minister of Planning and Investment said “With the globalization trend and economic integration widely and deeply, SMEs are considered as potential resources to contribute for the globalization and development, economic cooperation through participating more and more in regional and global supply chains”.
Apart from helping businesses more fully utilize the emerging opportunities and better manage the challenges in the global economy, thisworkshopwill bring practical implications and opportunities for Vietnam SMEs to access regional and global markets.
“It’s time for SMEs in general and women-led SMEs in particular should determine theirpositionin global supply chains and value chains, this will help them to identify the right way for successfully integration. Today’s event is a one of AWEN’s endeavors to support women entrepreneurs in Vietnam in the integration process”, shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, Chairwoman of Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council, Chairperson of ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network.
This event is part of series of workshops and trainings of the Alliance throughout Southeast Asia. So far, the Alliance has trained more than 3,500 entrepreneurs in all ten ASEAN countries.
The Alliance also does other activities to further support its effort to enhance SMEs competitiveness in Southeast Asia, including: establishing ASEAN Online SME Academy, an online portal with interactive training and mentoring resources and business information for ASEAN SMEs, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and expanding access to finance.
Source: vietnambreakingnews
Key words: Improving, SMEs access, to regional and global markets
