Mekong Institute (MI) in cooperation with the Danang Institute for Socio-Economic Development (DISED) in Vietnam, conducted a national virtual Workshop on “Investment Opportunities and Policies in Economic Zones (SEZs) in Vietnam” on September 23, 2021 to promote and get insights and information on investment rules and opportunities and potential investors’ perspectives in economic zones against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, provide suggestions for further advancing trade and cooperation in connection with cross-border special economic zones and COVID-19 recovery measures in EZs in Viet Nam.  

The workshop was chaired by Dr. Huynh Huy Hoa, Director of DISED. Dr. Huynh explained the objectives and applicable investment policies of Vietnamese economic zones, and plans for furthering cooperation among economic zones in the Lancang-Mekong countries.

A total of over 40 participants representatives from Departments of Planning and Investment, Investment Promotion and Support Centers, Management Boards of Industrial Zones, Economic Zones in Central Economic Region’s provinces and cities, local research institutes, and enterprises in Vietnam attended the virtual workshop.

There were three technical presentations made at the workshop, including (i) overview and status of investment attraction at EZs in Vietnam, COVID-19 pandemic impacts and recovery plans, (ii) status of investments at EZs in Danang, state support policies for recovery plan, and (iii) policy recommendation for further advancing trade and cooperation in cross-border special economic zone in the Lancang-Mekong countries (P.R. China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam).

The workshop was organized as a series of national workshops on investment opportunities in economic zones as part of a multi-year project on “Joint Development of Cross-Border Economic Zones in Lancang-Mekong Countries,” supported by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund and implemented by MI in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce, Royal Government of Thailand.

The highlights of results of the national workshop in Vietnam and other Lancang-Mekong countries will be presented at a regional online Synthesis and Evaluation Workshop in the second week of October 2021.