The “SME Promotion and Industrial Development Project” has been implemented for three years (2020-2023) under a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)’s Agency for Enterprises Development (AED) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and has contributed greatly to supporting and strengthening the capacity of Vietnamese consultants in developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in helping industries’ SMEs join global value chains.

The Closing Ceremony of the Technical Cooperation for the project was held in Hanoi on December 12, attended by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Huy Dong, Deputy Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam Watanabe Shige, and more than 230 representatives from relevant ministries and departments, international donors, and SMEs who received training support from the project.

Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 in the early stages of the project, with cooperation and effort from all partners, remarkable achievements were realized. Over 1,100 participants took part in the training programs for consultants, with topics including New businesses and Start-ups and the Pre Shindanshi - SMEs Management Consultants System.

The training program was implemented under a Japanese model with support from SME Support Japan (SMRJ). The project also carried out on-the-job training (OJT) for 35 selected SMEs among 250 manufacturing companies in Vietnam. More than 300 CEOs from SMEs also participated in the creative leaders (INNOLEAD) training on necessary skills for organization management towards innovation.

The outcomes of the project will act as a foundation for consultants to further support and assist SME growth and enhance their internal strength towards innovation and progressing to access better business opportunities, Deputy Minister Dong said.

For his part, Deputy Ambassador Shige highly evaluated the project’s achievements and expects that, with Vietnam becoming an attractive destination for foreign investors, especially from Japan, consultants who received Japanese-style consultant training will play an active role in strengthening the partnership between Vietnamese and Japanese companies in the future.

At the closing ceremony, a panel discussion session on the topic of supporting SMEs in strengthening their internal capacity towards sustainable development was held alongside exhibitions by OJT companies. It was a place for knowledge sharing, connecting, and making partners between SMEs and between Vietnamese SMEs and Japanese enterprises.

The project’s outcomes and achievements are expected to offer a good start for not only the consultants but also SMEs in strengthening their capabilities, promoting business opportunities, and enhancing connections towards future success.