On the occasion of leading the business delegation to accompany the Vice President of Vietnam to the Global Summit of Women (GSW) 2014 in Paris, France, Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Ms Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC), on this event and the contributions of Vietnamese businesswomen. Mai Anh reports.The Global Summit of Women (GSW) 2014, under theme of “Redesigning Economies, Societies” is set to take place from June 5 to 7, 2014 in Paris, France. Could you please introduce the main events of this year’s summit? How does this theme relate to women’s contributions in the present time?
Under the leadership of the Vice President of Vietnam and the assignment of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council will organise a business delegation to accompany the Vice President of Vietnam to the summit in Paris, France from June 5 to 7. And, on this occasion, the business delegation will visit and survey the markets of the Netherlands and Belgium from May 30 to June 4. This is an opportunity for businesses and women entrepreneurs to exchange and learn international experience and learn more about European markets, one of the largest export markets of Vietnam.
Under the theme “Women: Redesigning Economies, Societies”, the summit’s contents will centre on corporate restructuring, information technology and communication application to business, young global leadership, gender equality in business and corporate social responsibility, and other issues. These contents are very useful for participants in general and for Vietnamese business representatives in particular. In the general global development trend, the roles of women and businesswomen in socioeconomic development of each country have been increasingly confirmed. Accounting for more than a half of the world’s population, women are an immensely potential resource yet to be fully exploited and promoted. I think the overarching theme of this year’s summit is very meaningful when many countries around the world are striving to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
On this occasion, VCCI plans to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Vietnam in France, and French partners to organise the Vietnam – France Business Forum, which will be attended and chaired by Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, and a meeting with overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs in France. This will be an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to study the French market, meet and learn about French partners and seek opportunities to expand exports to France and imports from this market.
What sessions will the Vietnamese delegation attend? Will the delegation share any initiatives and experiences with women all over the world?
This delegation is constituted by nearly 40 businesses operating in various fields such as construction, garment – textile, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food processing, tea and beverage, transport services, travel and restaurants. The delegation will attend all plenary sessions of GSW, including thematic sessions. Delegates will choose thematic sessions they are interested in.
A businesswoman will be a speaker at the Entrepreneurial Track themed “Dealing successfully with ‘Failure’: Re-evaluating your business for the next stage of growth.” Besides, VCCI has encouraged Vietnamese delegates to attend GSW discussion sessions and meet businesswomen from other countries to share and learn experience in corporate governance and operation.
The ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (AWEN) was launched at Sheraton Hotel, Hanoi on April 22 – 23, 2014. You, the Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council, were elected the AWEN chairwoman in the first term (2014-2016). Could you tell us about AWEN’s objectives and activities, as well as its support for women in the region and in Vietnam?
On April 22 – 23, 2014, the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) was formally launched in Hanoi with the participation of AWEN members; the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW); Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Dr Vu Tien Loc, President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Chairman of ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr Cao Quoc Hung, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and Member of ASEAN Economic Committee (AEC); Dato’ Sri Dr. Noorul Ainur Mohd. Nur, Chair of ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) and Minister of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia; Alicia dela Rosa-Bala, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN and Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community; David Shear, United States Ambassador to Vietnam; and representatives of international organisations and multinational corporations.
Initiated by Vietnam, this activity was part of the Working Plan of ACW in the 2011 – 2015 period and the ASEAN Cultural and Social Community Master Plan from 2011 to 2015. In 2010, the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council affiliated to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) was entrusted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to compile the Terms of Reference (TOR) and propose the formation of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network. And, in 2012, the AWEN formation proposal was adopted at the 11th ACW Meeting.
The establishment of AWEN aims to strengthen the role and voice of ASEAN businesspeople; create a forum for female entrepreneurs to share information, knowledge and experience; support ASEAN women to access business, financial and marketing services, business opportunities in ASEAN and beyond; and connect women entrepreneurs in the region and around the world. This can be considered a “common roof” of women entrepreneurs, associations and organisations of women-owned and women-led enterprises in ASEAN.
At the inaugural AWEN meeting, delegates discussed short-term and long-term priorities, general activities and partnerships of AWEN in the 2014 – 2020 period, and completed working programmes of AWEN in the 2014 – 2016 period. Representatives from such companies as MasterCard, Motorola, Google and Procter attended the conference and shared knowledge and experience in business cooperation and global connectivity; business skills, leadership, business development and management in the era of technology. At the GSW, AWEN will meet with GSW Chair Irene Natividad and OECD representatives to discuss cooperation mechanism in Paris on the evening of June 4, 2014.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
