VBF Secretariat Transition Launching Ceremony held in Hanoi

The Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) Secretariat transitions to a 16 members strong consortium jointly led by EuroCham, AmCham and VCCI, and supported by the Worldbank Group, and a broad number of 12 associated business chambers including in particular the Asian chambers represented in Vietnam, such as Japan, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as VASEP, HBA and LEFASO on the Vietnamese side. A new Management Board of the VBF was elected today, at the venue of the new VBF Secretariat, composed of 7 members, including AmCham, EuroCham, VCCI, Japan, Korea. Two Co-Chairmen were elected, Alain Cany, Chairman of EuroCham, and Vu Tien Loc, Chairman VCCI. The new Management Board will manage the new VBF Secretariat at the EuroCham office in Hanoi. VBF Secretariat Officer, Ms. My Tra Vu (Tramy), former IFC staff, was hired by the consortium to make sure the transition goes smoothly in the coming months.

For more than a decade, the VBF has served as a non-premier political channel for nurturing public-private dialogue with the aim of developing a favorable business environment. The VBF has helped over the years to attract domestic and foreign private sector investment and stimulated sustainable economic development in Vietnam. It has done so primarily through specialized working groups as well as general forums preceding the semi-annual Consultative Group (CG) Meetings. The ultimate objective of the VBF is to develop a favorable business environment that attracts more and better private sector investment and stimulates sustainable economic growth in Vietnam. Over the years, the VBF has successfully represented and promoted the interests of the national and international business community in Vietnam as well as facilitated investment and trade between Vietnam and the respective countries/regions.

The consortium members celebrated today the transition of the VBF Management, and not the VBF as such. There will be no change in the nature and quality of the VBF. In particular the working groups and their work on the business issues will remain as the “heart” of VBF’s advocacy activities. What will change, is merely the management: The new Consortium, led by AmCham, EuroCham and VCCI as well as the 14 supporting associate members have agreed to take over the coordination function of the private sector side from the Worldbank, in order to continue to provide a platform for constructive dialogue between the business community and the government of Vietnam. The Consortium members have also raised in their own responsibility the budget to fund VBF’s activities over the coming years. The Worldbank Group, represented by the IFC, will continue to be one of the supporting Consortium Members, and contribute with its strong voice, reputation and visibility.

Speakers at the ceremony included:

A welcoming Speech by Mr. Simon Andrews, IFC Regional Manager
 
Keynote speech from MPI Minister HE Bui Quang Vinh
 
Speech by the representative of consortium international members – Mr. Alain Cany – Chairman, EuroCham
 
Speech by the representative of consortium local members – Mr. Vu Tien Loc -  Chairman, VCCI
 
Speech by Ms. Keiko Sato - WB Portfolio Operations Manager