(MPI) - The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) hold a signing ceremony of collaboration on eco-industrial park development in Vietnam for the 2024-2028 period in Hanoi on October 25, with the co-chairing of MPI Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc and State Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Dominique Paravicini.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc (second from right) and State Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Dominique Paravicini (center) witnessed the signing agreement. Photo: MPI

Welcoming the Swiss State Secretary, Deputy Minister Ngoc expressed her pleasure at the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries over the last 50 years. The Government of Vietnam in general and the MPI in particular, always treasures and wishes to develop its ties with Switzerland in a more practical and effective manner, especially economic, trade and investment cooperation, she added.

The deputy minister spoke highly of Switzerland’s support for Vietnam in the socio-economic development, especially in terms of official development assistance (ODA) funding.

Vietnam is transforming the growth model towards green and sustainable development, green and circular economy, and digital transformation based on three objectives of the Government, businesses and people.

Deputy Minister Ngoc asked Switzerland, a developed country and leading in the digital economy, green economy, and new technology, to assist Vietnam hopes in developing these new fields as well as building an international and regional financial centre in the near future.

Paravicini, in reply, highlighted that Swiss businesses play important role in promoting investment cooperation between the two countries. They are highly optimistic about the market’s potential and since Vietnam is emerged as an attractive investment destination in the region.

Switzerland always considers Vietnam as a leading economic cooperation partner in the region, he said, adding that the country is currently preparing an economic cooperation programme with Vietnam in the coming period.

On this occasion, the MPI and SECO signed a cooperation agreement of collaboration on eco-industrial park development in Vietnam for the 2024-2028 period under the witness of MPI Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc and Swiss State Secretary Dominique Paravicini. The agreement aims to duplicate the eco-industrial park model in Vietnam towards green, circular economy and sustainable development, helping the country achieve its goal of improving livelihoods and the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

After more than 30 years of establishing industrial parks (IPs) and 18 years of developing economic zones (EZs), IPs and EZs have contributed to the country’s socio-economic development with over 10 thousand domestic projects and nearly 11 thousand valid foreign-invested projects.

As of December 2022, there are 407 IPs across the country, of which 292 IPs are put into operation and 115 of those are in site clearance and construction. 26 border-gate EZs were established in 21 provinces and cities, and 18 coastal EZs were established in 17 provinces and cities national wide./.

Bao Linh

Ministry of Planning and Investment