At the OECD-Southeast Asia Ministerial Forum 2023. (Photo: VNA) As the most important event of the OECD-runSoutheast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP) in 2023, the forum drew theparticipation of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, OCED Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Sonand more than 200 ministers, deputy ministers, ambassadors and representativesfrom 48 OECD member states and Southeast Asian countries, and manyscholars, experts and business community.
In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Quang said that although SoutheastAsia has many advantages in FDI attraction, the region is facing an array ofchallenges, especially in luring quality and sustainable investment; therefore itis necessary to promote linkages and effective partnership between regions, countries andenterprises.
Highlighting Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements after nearly four decades of “Doi moi” (Renewal), Quang reaffirmed that foreign investment is an important component of the Vietnamese economy, and the Vietnamese Government is committed to accompanying investors to protect their legitimate rights, and create a soundbusiness climate for them to expand production and business in Vietnam.
He went on to outline five main cooperation orientations to strengtheninvestment collaboration between regions, with the first being promotingpolicy consultancy, technical support and experience sharing with SoutheastAsian countries in building institutions and improving national governance capacity in sustainable investment.
Second, it is a must to create motive for investment cooperation in sustainabledevelopment in emerging and key fields such as energy transition, green growth, digitaleconomy, circular economy and eco-agriculture.
Third, stakeholders should join hands to set up platforms for sustainableinvestment in the region.
Fourth, it is necessary to establish sustainable and quality investment models.
Fifth, the Deputy Prime Minister called for unceasingly consolidating a peacefuland stable environment for cooperation development which he said is a prerequisite factor.
At the forum, participants hailed Vietnam’s role as the Co-chair of the SEARP, whileunderscoring the forum’s significance to promoting inter-Governmental andinter-regional cooperation in realising common development goals which helppromote the strengths of the OECD member states, and meet the needs and interests of Southeast Asian countries.
The OECD countries reaffirmed the strategic importance of the Southeast Asianregion in the OECD’s global policy, and committed to supporting the SoutheastAsian nations in boosting inclusive, sustainable and quality investment, andpromoting green transition and digital transformation for inclusive andsustainable development.
In his closing remarks, Vietnamese FM Bui Thanh Son underlinedthat enhancing sustainable and quality investment should become a driver forthe OECD-Southeast Asia partnership, while stakeholders should give priority to new cooperation areas such as green transition and digital transformation.
Furthermore, cooperation between regions should be elevated, and implementationof the OCED’s strategic framework for the Indo-Pacific should be made in tandemwith the ASEAN’s outlook on Asia-Pacific, he added.
A Vietnam – OECD investment forum will be organised in Hanoi on October 27within the framework of the SEARP./.
VNA
