Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production helps improve competitiveness of Vietnam’s rice sector

21.03.2017 — Local news Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, 3 March, 2017 – Vietnam is known as one of the world’s biggest rice producer and exporter. However, it is facing fierce competition from other countries due to fragmented value chain with low quality and high production costs. Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has successfully supported the rice sector during the last four years to apply resource efficient and cleaner production methods to address these challenges.    

Improving social dialogue, productivity and working conditions is key to Viet Nam’s integration success

24.10.2016 — Local news Vietnam

HANOI (ILO News) – The agenda of social dialogue, productivity and working conditions is becoming more important than ever as Viet Nam is entering a new era of deeper global integration.

This is the main message of a conference jointly organized by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) today in Hanoi.

High Level Delegation from Switzerland pays offcial visit to the Business Registration Office in Hanoi

11.10.2016 — Local news Vietnam

During her official visit to Vietnam, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Ms Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, took the opportunity to visit the Business Registration Office (BRO) in Hanoi’s Cầu Giấy district. The BRO has been supported in the context of Switzerland’s economic development cooperation that works through one of its flagship program to simplification business registration processes in cooperation with Vietnam’s Agency for Business Registration (ABR). Starting a business has become much easier in Vietnam and it can be done in only 3 days while legally binding information of over half a million active enterprises is now accessible online.

Switzerland announces New Development Cooperation Strategy 2017 - 2020 with Vietnam

11.10.2016 — Local news Vietnam

The Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Ms Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen Fleisch, together with Vice Minister Nguyen The Phuong, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has launched today Switzerland’s new Development Cooperation Strategy 2017-2020 with Vietnam. In alignment with Vietnam’s evolving reform needs and emerging new challenges, the strategy will focus on the area of economic development cooperation, implemented by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It indicatively foresees commitments of CHF 90 million of ODA grants and represents a solid basis for continuing the longstanding collaboration between the two countries in the coming four year.

Event on 25 Years of SDC-Vietnam Cooperation

30.09.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Hanoi - The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) organised a workshop on 30 September 2016 to celebrate the achievements of its 25 years of collaboration with Vietnam.

Community Management Project - Closing Workshop

25.08.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Community Management Project (CMP) is a success story of SDC in Vietnam. “People know, people discuss, people implement and people supervise” is a Vietnamese government slogan to promote grassroots democracy. The government of Vietnam has recognized the rights and roles of citizens in local planning and decision-making. But do people in fact have a say in decisions that affect them? Not yet. This project aims to contribute to the implementation of local people empowerment.

SECO supports Banks in Vietnam aligning Risk Management with Capital Management to Support Sustainable Growth

18.08.2016 — Local news Vietnam

A half-day workshop discussing on implementation of the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) was held to support Vietnam to resolve non-performing loans in the banking system. The event was one of several activities under the IFC implemented project strengthening corporate insolvency and work-out practices in Vietnam. The Swiss Government is financing this 3.8 million dollar project through SECO with the goal to mitigate the risk of further financial crisis that are harmful for the country’s economy.

BioTrade to promote sustainable use of biodiversity based resources in Viet Nam

15.07.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Hanoi, 27 June, 2016 – In order to support trade of products derived from biodiversity in a sustainable way, Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) co-finances since 2003 the “BioTrade Facilitation Programme” (BTFP) implemented by UNCTAD (first phase 2003-2007, second phase 2008-2016). The overall objective of this programme is to ‘enhance sustainable bio-resources management, supporting BioTrade product development, value-added processing and market entry, promoting product differentiation and improving access to trade and pre-export finance, and providing a voice for BioTrade in the policy environment that affects such trade”.

Inauguration of Pha Din Climate Monitoring Station

01.07.2016 — Local news Vietnam

On the 1^st of July in Hanoi, the National Hydro-Meteorological Service of Vietnam (NHMS) and the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss are jointly hosting the inauguration ceremony of the Pha Din observation station. Pha Din is one of the best equipped climate monitoring stations in Vietnam and gives in-depth information about greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations in Vietnam. The collected data will give scientists important data fundamentals to better understand climate change in Southeast Asia. The inauguration will bring leading scientists of both countries together in order to celebrate this important achievement and to raise awareness about the benefits of the established data on local, national and global level.

Capacity Building Support to the State Audit Office of Vietnam

24.06.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Hanoi, 24 June 2016: The project ‘Capacity Building Support to the State Audit Office of Viet Nam (SAV)’ was successfully launched on 24 June 2016. Under the lead of Delegation of the European Union to Viet Nam (DEU), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is contributing to this capacity building project that aims at improving the accountability, reporting, transparency and oversight of public financial management activities through SAV.

Switzerland Supports Can Tho in Becoming Resilient to Climate Change Risks

13.06.2016 — Local news Vietnam

The “Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project” was officially launched on 3 June, 2016. This project financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the World Bank and Can Tho City is aiming at reducing the cities flood risks and improving connectivity between the city center and the new low risk urban development areas over the next 5 years. The component co-financing by SECO will focus on enhancing the capacity of city authorities in managing disaster risk in Can Tho and link it with their long-term urban planning processes. With these measures, the project will increase the city’s resilience to climate change and consolidate Can Tho’s role as regional economic and social hub in the Mekong Delta.

Vietnam's New Coc San Hydropower Project Generating Electricity

09.06.2016 — Local news Vietnam

The new Coc San power plant in Vietnam’s Lao Cai Province, a run-of-river hydropower facility now supplying almost 30MW of power to the regional offtaker, has been officially launched on 8 June 2016. The US$50m plant is backed by Vietnamese and foreign private investment and InfraCo Asia, a company funded by the governments of Switzerland (through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO), the UK and Australia to help provide infrastructure financing. InfraCo Asia is a subordinate of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG). The Coc San project represents the first foreign direct investment in hydropower in the mountainous Northern region of Vietnam.

Closing the Public Service Provision Improvement Program in Agriculture and Rural Development (PSARD)

16.12.2015 — Media release Vietnam

The programme “Public Service Provision Improvement Programme in Agriculture and Rural Development” (PS-ARD) had  two phases (2008-2015) with a total budget of CHF 21,400,000 funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)  in Vietnam. The project was implemented in the two mountainous and ethnic minority provinces -  Hoa Binh and Cao Bang - by the local provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development with technical support of the Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter holds political talks in Hanoi and opens the new Consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City

02.06.2015 — Media release Vietnam

On June 2^nd 2015 Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter met for political talks in Hanoi with the Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic matters, Hoàng Trung Hải, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh. The talks focused on bilateral issues and security in Asia. The talks covered regional security matters as well as bilateral aspects and economic issues.

New Swiss ambassadors

17.12.2014 — Media release EDA
A number of staff changes have been announced for several Swiss representations abroad and at the head office of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The changes will take place in 2015 as part of the usual transfer rotation and on the basis of appointments made by the Federal Council. The appointment of heads of missions abroad becomes effective following approval by the respective host state. The Federal Council thanks those ambassadors entering retirement for their services.

New ambassadors of Switzerland (last modification, the 02.10.2014)

02.10.2014 — Media release EDA
A number of staff changes have been announced for several Swiss representations abroad and at the head office of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The changes will take place in 2015 as part of the usual transfer rotation and on the basis of appointments made by the Federal Council. The appointment of heads of mission becomes effective following approval by the respective host state. The Federal Council thanks those ambassadors entering retirement for their services.

Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production helps improve competitiveness of Vietnam’s rice sector

21.03.2017 — Local news Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, 3 March, 2017 – Vietnam is known as one of the world’s biggest rice producer and exporter. However, it is facing fierce competition from other countries due to fragmented value chain with low quality and high production costs. Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has successfully supported the rice sector during the last four years to apply resource efficient and cleaner production methods to address these challenges.    

Improving social dialogue, productivity and working conditions is key to Viet Nam’s integration success

24.10.2016 — Local news Vietnam

HANOI (ILO News) – The agenda of social dialogue, productivity and working conditions is becoming more important than ever as Viet Nam is entering a new era of deeper global integration.

This is the main message of a conference jointly organized by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) today in Hanoi.

High Level Delegation from Switzerland pays offcial visit to the Business Registration Office in Hanoi

11.10.2016 — Local news Vietnam

During her official visit to Vietnam, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Ms Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, took the opportunity to visit the Business Registration Office (BRO) in Hanoi’s Cầu Giấy district. The BRO has been supported in the context of Switzerland’s economic development cooperation that works through one of its flagship program to simplification business registration processes in cooperation with Vietnam’s Agency for Business Registration (ABR). Starting a business has become much easier in Vietnam and it can be done in only 3 days while legally binding information of over half a million active enterprises is now accessible online.

Switzerland announces New Development Cooperation Strategy 2017 - 2020 with Vietnam

11.10.2016 — Local news Vietnam

The Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Ms Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen Fleisch, together with Vice Minister Nguyen The Phuong, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has launched today Switzerland’s new Development Cooperation Strategy 2017-2020 with Vietnam. In alignment with Vietnam’s evolving reform needs and emerging new challenges, the strategy will focus on the area of economic development cooperation, implemented by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It indicatively foresees commitments of CHF 90 million of ODA grants and represents a solid basis for continuing the longstanding collaboration between the two countries in the coming four year.

Event on 25 Years of SDC-Vietnam Cooperation

30.09.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Hanoi - The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) organised a workshop on 30 September 2016 to celebrate the achievements of its 25 years of collaboration with Vietnam.

Community Management Project - Closing Workshop

25.08.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Community Management Project (CMP) is a success story of SDC in Vietnam. “People know, people discuss, people implement and people supervise” is a Vietnamese government slogan to promote grassroots democracy. The government of Vietnam has recognized the rights and roles of citizens in local planning and decision-making. But do people in fact have a say in decisions that affect them? Not yet. This project aims to contribute to the implementation of local people empowerment.

SECO supports Banks in Vietnam aligning Risk Management with Capital Management to Support Sustainable Growth

18.08.2016 — Local news Vietnam

A half-day workshop discussing on implementation of the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) was held to support Vietnam to resolve non-performing loans in the banking system. The event was one of several activities under the IFC implemented project strengthening corporate insolvency and work-out practices in Vietnam. The Swiss Government is financing this 3.8 million dollar project through SECO with the goal to mitigate the risk of further financial crisis that are harmful for the country’s economy.

BioTrade to promote sustainable use of biodiversity based resources in Viet Nam

15.07.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Hanoi, 27 June, 2016 – In order to support trade of products derived from biodiversity in a sustainable way, Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) co-finances since 2003 the “BioTrade Facilitation Programme” (BTFP) implemented by UNCTAD (first phase 2003-2007, second phase 2008-2016). The overall objective of this programme is to ‘enhance sustainable bio-resources management, supporting BioTrade product development, value-added processing and market entry, promoting product differentiation and improving access to trade and pre-export finance, and providing a voice for BioTrade in the policy environment that affects such trade”.

Inauguration of Pha Din Climate Monitoring Station

01.07.2016 — Local news Vietnam

On the 1^st of July in Hanoi, the National Hydro-Meteorological Service of Vietnam (NHMS) and the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss are jointly hosting the inauguration ceremony of the Pha Din observation station. Pha Din is one of the best equipped climate monitoring stations in Vietnam and gives in-depth information about greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations in Vietnam. The collected data will give scientists important data fundamentals to better understand climate change in Southeast Asia. The inauguration will bring leading scientists of both countries together in order to celebrate this important achievement and to raise awareness about the benefits of the established data on local, national and global level.

Capacity Building Support to the State Audit Office of Vietnam

24.06.2016 — Local news Vietnam

Hanoi, 24 June 2016: The project ‘Capacity Building Support to the State Audit Office of Viet Nam (SAV)’ was successfully launched on 24 June 2016. Under the lead of Delegation of the European Union to Viet Nam (DEU), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is contributing to this capacity building project that aims at improving the accountability, reporting, transparency and oversight of public financial management activities through SAV.

Switzerland Supports Can Tho in Becoming Resilient to Climate Change Risks

13.06.2016 — Local news Vietnam

The “Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience Project” was officially launched on 3 June, 2016. This project financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the World Bank and Can Tho City is aiming at reducing the cities flood risks and improving connectivity between the city center and the new low risk urban development areas over the next 5 years. The component co-financing by SECO will focus on enhancing the capacity of city authorities in managing disaster risk in Can Tho and link it with their long-term urban planning processes. With these measures, the project will increase the city’s resilience to climate change and consolidate Can Tho’s role as regional economic and social hub in the Mekong Delta.

Vietnam's New Coc San Hydropower Project Generating Electricity

09.06.2016 — Local news Vietnam

The new Coc San power plant in Vietnam’s Lao Cai Province, a run-of-river hydropower facility now supplying almost 30MW of power to the regional offtaker, has been officially launched on 8 June 2016. The US$50m plant is backed by Vietnamese and foreign private investment and InfraCo Asia, a company funded by the governments of Switzerland (through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO), the UK and Australia to help provide infrastructure financing. InfraCo Asia is a subordinate of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG). The Coc San project represents the first foreign direct investment in hydropower in the mountainous Northern region of Vietnam.