Hanoi (VNA)ဣ – The Vietnamese Embassy in theNetherlands is ready to be a bridge and a channel to send recommendationsfrom Dutch businesses to the Vietnamese government to improve mechanisms and create favourable conditions forinvestors operating in Vietnam, said Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam.

He made the statement at an event “MeetAmbassador” held on December 8 by the Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands and theDutch Business Association Vietnam (DBAV). The event aimed to enhance dialogue and exchanges between the embassiesand the business communities of the two countries. This was also an opportunityfor businesses that are planning to invest and do business in Vietnam to listento the experience of those who have been investing in the SoutheastAsian nation. At the meeting, the ambassador reviewed some outstandingactivities of the two countries in 2023 on the occasion of the 50th anniversaryof diplomatic ties, starting with the visit to the Netherlands byVietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in December 2022, and ending with thevisit to Vietnam by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in November 2023. Regarding cooperation in trade and investment between the twocountries, Nam highlighted achievements obtained after more thanthree years of implementing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Bilateral trade has grown impressivelyat an average of 22% in the 2020-2022 period, reaching 11.1 billion USD last year. TheNetherlands has become Vietnam's second-largest trading partner and largestinvestor in the EU with 432 valid projects and total registered capital of 14.3billion USD. As the Netherlands is one of 10countries that have not yet ratified the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA), the ambassador expressed his wish that the Dutch business community, through DBAV as well asthe European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, propose the Dutch Parliament andGovernment to soon ratify the deal. Representatives from Dutch ministries and agencies as well as businesses appreciated the steering role of the Vietnamese Government given many difficulties and challenges in the world and regional situations inthe past two years. With macroeconomic stability, relatively high growth and controlled inflation, Vietnam is said to have a good business investment environment for foreigninvestors, including those from the Netherlands, they said./.