Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met leaders of the European business community at GEFE 2022 on November 28. Photo: EuroCham

GEFE 2022 is the largest event of its kind in Southeast Asia and will continue until the end of this month. It includes an exhibition with 150 vendors showcasing environmentally friendly products and solutions, a plenary session and more than 30 sessions shedding light on the latest development in renewable energy and energy transition, fuel, waste and water treatment, digital life, and the future of cities.

In his remarks at the plenary conference, PM Chinh stressed that the country was committed to strengthening climate resilience and green development due to Vietnam’s position as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. He added that to combat climate change and develop a circular, digital economy, policies must be geared towards improving the lives of all citizens.

PM Chinh also hoped that the European Union and its financial institutions would support Vietnam’s development of advanced technology, green capital, and human resource training.

European Commissioner Sinkevičius offered his thoughts on EU-Vietnam bilateral cooperation and the European Union’s ongoing climate resilience, circular economy, and biodiversity initiatives.

“The European Union and Vietnam work closely on several topics, but we need global action – at all levels and within this decade – for a climate-neutral, nature-positive, and resilient world,” said Commissioner Sinkevicius.

In his speech, EuroCham chairman Alain Cany spoke about the core purpose and vision of GEFE 2022.

“In my heart, I know that Vietnam can achieve a robust green transition only through a whole-of-society transformation that reimagines how people live and how economic development is approached,” he said. “To accomplish this, the European and Vietnamese governments, the private and public sectors must work together. Without doing this completely and immediately, we will most certainly fail. GEFE 2022 can and will help accelerate this process through the strength of our bilateral partnership.”

Business executives from leading European corporations gathered at GEFE 2022. Photo: EuroCham

In addition, a panel discussion was held, which featured a conversation on “Green Economy: Vietnam’s Greatest Development Opportunity” with representatives of domestic and international firms involved in the green transition, particularly in energy, sustainability, transport, and finance.

The three-day event is taking place from November 28 to 30.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham Vietnam) has remained the unified voice of the European business community in Vietnam since 1998.

EuroCham Vietnam advocates on behalf of many sectors and companies ranging from SMEs to MNCs and has a robust business network in Vietnam and Europe. The organisation acts as a bridge for European companies interested in the Vietnamese market and Vietnamese companies considering European market expansion, helping both to harness the full potential of the European Union–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.