Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee addresses the forum (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – The Mekong Connect 2021, a forum on development connection between Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta localities, opened in the city on December 17.
Addressing the event, Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the city People’s Committee, HCM City and Mekong Delta localities have experienced the most difficult time due to COVID-19. The Mekong Connect aims to seek solutions for them to boost economic recovery in 2022 in the new normal, he said.
He noted that HCM City and Mekong Delta localities have shared connections in transport, hunan resources, business and production chain, maritime economy, startup ecosystem, supporting industries and market stabilisation and development, as well as pandemic prevention and control.
Mai suggested that participants focus on issues related to interest and the development connection among the localities, while giving proposals on fostering the links between the city and regional localities, and agreeing on joint actions in the work.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that Mekong Connect 2021 is a chance for leaders of the localities and ministries and sectors to exchange ideas to promote the connectivity between HCM City and 13 Mekong Delta cities and provinces, with the important role of the business community.
According to Hoan, it is necessary to change the mindset from agricultural production to agricultural economy with stronger engagement of enterprises.
Representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology held that it is crucial to form and develop an open innovation model, supporting enterprises to update lastest technologies, and dealing with problems in product development.
Open innovation is the way for Mekong Delta localities to optimise resources for their socio-economic development, along with the formation of a science-technology market, they held.
Within the forum’s framework, an exchange programme was held with young agricultural entrepreneurs innovative startup ecosystem, along with an exhibition on agricultural technologies, equipment and machineries./.
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The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Region needs to be more innovative in production to grow sustainably in the context of climate change and environmental and integration challenges, experts have said.
The 2020 Mekong Connect forum was held in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap on December 21, with an aim to seek measures to get products and services of the Mekong Delta into the global supply chain.
The Mekong Connect 2021 forum will take place in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time on December 17, heard a press conference co-hosted by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade and the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Goods on December 10.
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Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
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The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee addresses the forum (Photo: VNA) 
