PANO - Thirty officers from Departments of Foreign Affairs, Departments of Planning and Investment and Industrial Park Management Boards of 17 central provinces participated in a three-week training course on economic diplomacy, opened on November 14 in Ha Nam province.

The training course is funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and implemented by the Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.

The project is a further example of UK-Vietnam cooperation to build the capability of Vietnamese officials.  The programme, “Capacity Building for Officials in Charge of External Economic Affairs of Foreign Affairs Departments of Provinces of Central Part of Vietnam”, aims to build up economic diplomacy knowledge and skills for external departments and investment officers in central provinces of Vietnam.

The training course will draw on the skills and experiences in Economic Diplomacy of both Vietnam and UK to encourage participants to better promote their provinces. In addition, participants will get hands-on experience via field trips to industrial parks and local companies.  

UK-Vietnam bilateral trade was over US $2billion last year and is increasing rapidly.  This programme will pave the way for future business cooperation between UK businesses and the central provinces of Vietnam. Officials will explore approaches to better sell the benefits of Vietnam and will be introduced to the demands and concerns of UK companies.  The course will also include a module focused on the recently-introduced UK Bribery Act.  

 

Addressing at the opening ceremony of this intensive training course, the British Deputy Head of Mission, Ms. Kate Harrisson, said UK-Vietnam relations are developing quickly.

She hoped the course would encourage officials from central provinces to reach out to UK companies and to build links between the two countries. She also stressed that UK companies were excited about investing in Vietnam. 

Mai Pham