Building Ho Chi Minh City into an innovative business hub in Southeast Asia will top the agenda at the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum (HEF) 2018 slated to kick off on November 23.

Press conference on HCM Economic Forum. (Source: Organizing board)

With the theme “Fostering Interactive and Innovative Districts: The Prominent Role of Businesses”, the forum will focus on the transformation of the city’s eastern area, including Districts 2, District 9 and Thu Duc district, into an innovative hub.

Some 100 overseas delegates, who are experts or representatives of organizations, will attend or deliver speeches.

This year’s edition will feature multiple discussion sessions and some 30 speeches delivered by participating delegates.

Chu Tien Dung, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations (HUBA) and Deputy Head of the HEF Organizing Committee, said the event will create favorable conditions for local firms to network and discuss cooperation opportunities with overseas investors and enterprise associations.

He added that many foreign companies and organizations in the innovation sector have expressed a desire to meet with local firms and further meetings are planned.

Participants are expected to discuss topics such as Industry 4.0 and innovative urban development trends, the trends, models, roles, and impacts associated with innovative urban areas in accelerating socioeconomic growth in countries and localities in a quick and sustainable manner, and the role of enterprises in the process of bolstering innovative urban areas and in proposing solutions to boost innovative activities for enterprises in the city.

Organizers expect some 600 participants to attend, while 20 business associations and financial institutions have also been invited.

Organized by HUBA and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations, the forum will discuss how the city can learn from innovative urban areas that contribute to sustainable development.

It will also include input from experts, businesses, and investors on measures for enhanced connections between enterprises, research institutes, and the government./.

( VNF/VET )