Hanoi (VNA) – The firstforum on doing business in the Francophone community in the Asia Pacific beganin Hanoi on September 20, discussing ways to assist startups in the region.

The two-day event, co-organisedby the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the InternationalOrganisation of the Francophonie (OIF), is scheduled to run through varioussessions on female startups, business development in a Francophone space, andsupporting micro, small- and medium-sized enterprises, among others.

In his opening speech, VCCI VicePresident Hoang Quang Phong said that with the support of the OIF, the VCCI hascarried out several activities to assist Vietnamese enterprises in trade andinvestment cooperation with Francophone firms in the Asia Pacific, particularlyFrench-speaking African countries.

He said the forum is an OIFinitiative as part of the organisation’s programme on boosting employment viafemale and youth startups.

The forum offers an opportunityfor delegates to exchange experience and put forth measures to step up tradeand investment within the Francophone community, Phong noted, adding thatyouths and women play a key role in the development of a nation.

OIF Director for the Asia PacificEric Normand Thibeault said the forum will help enterprises meet up and set uplong-term partnerships via the establishment of a startup network in theregion.

Discussing the status of women inbusiness, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women EntrepreneursCouncil (VWEC), said that creating the ground for a successful startup is noteasy, particularly if it is led by a female entrepreneur as there are simplynot as many opportunities available for women in the field.

It requires concerted effortsfrom individuals, organisations, and governments to build startup ecosystems,she stated.

The Francophone community has 84members and observers from five continents, with a combined population of about900 million, including 220 million French-speaking people. The communityaccounts for 13 percent of the world’s GDP.

Vietnam was among the foundingcountries of the OIF in 1970. Over the years, the OIF has maintained activecooperation with Vietnam, including the exchange of training and technicalexpertise in a number of fields.–VNA