IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Singapore and Vietnam agreed to forge deeper economic ties through the Singapore-Vietnam Connectivity Framework Agreement amidst the global economic downturn. This was reiterated when Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang met with Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc today in Singapore, at the 4th Connectivity Ministerial Meeting to review the Connectivity Agreement.

ment is an overarching bilateral economic cooperation framework between Singapore and Vietnam that covers six sectors of cooperation:

1. education and training,
2. finance,
3. information technology and telecommunications,
4. investment,
5. trade and services, and
6. transportation.

   The Connectivity initiative aims to build upon each other’s strengths and competencies, to accelerate Vietnam’s growth, while enabling Singapore’s active participation in that growth. In the last four years, the Connectivity Agreement has achieved good progress in all six sectors of cooperation, and facilitated projects by Singapore companies that contribute to Vietnam’s economic development, schools twinning programmes, English language courses, student exchange programmes, sharing of expertise on urban development, courses on e-Government, and information sharing financial issues.

   Both sides agreed that there was a need to continue to press on to deepen economic ties amidst the economic downturn. Minister Lim highlighted that the commitment from both sides reflected the strength of bilateral relations and the confidence of both countries in the long term economic prospects of each other’s economies. Both Ministers also acknowledged that there remained good potential and opportunities to be seized despite the economic downturn.

   Singapore’s public and private sectors’ active participation and sharing of expertise on urban development and planning continue to be very well received in Vietnam. Singapore’s urban development training programme for Vietnamese officials has seen the completion of six out of a total eight sessions to date, with more than 90 Vietnamese officials trained. More recently, First Deputy Party Secretary Nguyen Van Dua of Ho Chi Minh City led a team of officials to Singapore for a second training programme that focused on “urban transportation, urban greenery, safari management – a Singapore experience” from 28 Jun to 5 Jul 2009. Overall, the training and familiarisation programmes have left the Vietnamese leaders and officials with a deep impression of Singapore’s expertise in integrated township development.

   ---

   Quelle/Source: Webnewswire, 18.07.2009

   Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit: