PCI Experience-Sharing Conference For Highlands And Central Provinces

The workshop welcomed the participation of nearly 80 representatives from provincial departments and branches of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong.

At the workshop, the experts and speakers shared best experience and practices of top PCI performing provinces such as Quang Ninh, Dong Thap, Bac Ninh, Binh Thuan.

According to the PCI 2015, Highlands businesses were facing a lot of difficulties in their operation: Rate of loss-making enterprises got the 2nd position out of 6 regions across the country; business prospect did not see many bright spots (only 45% firms said they would expand their operations in the next 2 years); Business scale was quite small and unfocused; Business environment was not favorable and PCI average score is 56,08 points, only higher than the Northwest region (55,87).

There remained lots of limitation in the region’s governance areas: Information transparency (5,83 points); Informal charges (4,47 points); Business support services (5,75 points); Provincial leaders’ proactivity and creativity (4,07 points). Addressing the workshop, Mr. Dau Anh Tuan – Head of Legal Department, VCCI emphasized: “The role of businesses has never ever been heightened this much by the central and local governments in the past 12 years of PCI”. In the Government’s Resolutions No.19 and No.35, enterprises are placed on top to be served”.

Having shared the same point of view, Mr. Nguyen Hai Ninh – Vice President of Dak Lak highly appreciated the impact of PCI “Not just a ranking, PCI does help promote a competition among provinces in improving provincial business environment, thereby strengthening the national competitiveness”. In the session “Public – Private Dialogue – to strengthen transparency and reduce informal charges” , the representatives coming from the provinces with innovative and effective models in improving PCI gave presentations to share their experiences such as Mr. Vo Hung Dung – Director of VCCI Can Tho with “Model of Effective dialogue with businesses in the Mekong Delta”; Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Vice Director of the Institute of Socio-Economic Da Nang” shared: “Experience in applying IT into dialogues with businesses ”; Mr. Duong Trong Khang, Vice President of Vinh Phuc Business Association with “Experiences in conducting survey, preparing background information for dialogues”. The 2nd session of the Workshop themed “Proactive and creative in supporting businesses” was highlighted by the sharing of representative from Bac Ninh with the model “Business Doctor” supports simplifying administrative procedure for enterprises” and good practice from Quang Ninh in business/ investment promotion.

The speeches of representatives from An Giang and Binh Thuan on “Experience in supporting business development” also received positive feedback. The workshop was concluded after a heated discussion and Q&A session. Many participants when asked appreciated the useful knowledge and information shared by speakers which would for sure serve as good tools for their daily work in the time to come.