Work Meeting in Vietnam

Meetings in Hanoi

The Mayor of Hanoi, Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung, met with a delegation of the European Union led by Ambassador Bruno Angelet, Head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam. Delegates from the cities of Milan (Italy) and Kosice (Slovakia) discussed with Chairman Chung about city-to-city cooperation in the areas of smart city, mobility, circular economy and start-up ecosystem. Ambassador Angelet introduced to Chairman Chung the EU World Cities Project, an initiative of the EU’s Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) to promote the exchange of experiences and best practices between EU and non-EU countries on different areas of sustainable urban development.

Mr Ramón López from DG REGIO mentioned that World Cities’ actions are designed to increase so-called ‘triple-helix cooperation’ between governments, research and business. The project’s ultimate goal is to strengthen market opportunities and job creation while pursuing the sustainable economic development of the cities involved (win-win cooperation). The project is currently implemented between 16 EU and 16 non-EU cities from South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, South Africa and Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City). Cooperation with Vietnam is managed by GIZ International Services.

Ambassador Angelet focused on the cooperation between Hanoi and the pairing city of Milan, the most prosperous non-capital city in the EU and capital of Lombardy, one of Europe’s top-economic growth regions. Milano representatives explained potential cooperation areas in the areas of smart city (e-government, mobility, ICT), innovation (start-ups ecosystem) and circular economy. The Italian Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Mrs Cecilia Piccioni, expressed her support to the cooperation between Milan and Hanoi as a concrete follow-up of Vietnam’s President’s Tran Dai Quang visit to Italy last November. Ambassador Piccioni invited Chairman Chung to visit Milan in the second half of 2017.

Chairman Chung explained Vietnam’s main city development priorities, including transportation infrastructure, smart city administration, water quality management and start-up ecosystem development. He mentioned that the city has developed over 50 apps for an efficient delivery of public services, including smart parking, online payments and integrated traffic control. ICT is a main industry of Hanoi, contributing to 15% of the city’s taxation revenues. Chairman Chung also explained the plan for developing the start-up’s ecosystem.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Slovakia, H.E. Igor Pakolak, referred to the ongoing cooperation between Slovakia and Vietnam and expressed his support to the cooperation between Hanoi and Kosice.

Meetings in HoChiMinh City

Following meetings and site visits took place:

–        Office of Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Chief of Staff of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee

–        Saigon River Tunnel

–        Saigon Hi-tech Park

–        Saigon Software Park

–        Smart Transport Solutions Team, FPT Information Systems

–        Quang Trung Software City

Meetings in HoChiMinh City began at the Saigon River Tunnel. This new urban development project was explained to the European city representatives by the management board of the tunnel. Discussions focused on the technologies applied in the tunnel and the possible cooperation with Milan and Kosice city regarding management systems.

Field visits were held at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park and the Quang Trung Software Park. Both areas are instrumental in enhancing the the technological and intellectual base of the city. Through a system of Open Smart City, stakeholders will be encouraged to participate in consultative debates on the future development of the city and companies will be given the opportunity to propose projects for implementation.

Deep discussions were held at the head quarters of the IT company FPT, which has an own investment in Kosice. FPT representatives explained to the European counterparts the smart city applications developed for HCMC and possible cooperation projects with the European cities.

Impressions

Launch Event in Hanoi

D3M_0264

750_3962Speech by H.E. Ambassador Bruno Angelet

DSC_5777Speech by H.E. Ambassador Bruno Angelet

DSC_9493Introduction by Mr Ramón López, DG REGIO

Meetings in Hanoi

DSC_9511EU Ambassador, H.E. Bruno Angelet and Mayor of Hanoi, Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung

DSC_9535Meeting with Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung, Mayor of Hanoi

DSC_9606Visit to Hanoi’s public services centre

DSC_9616Working with Tay Ho District People’s Committee  – urban development and e-government

DSC_9680Work meeting with different departments of Hanoi, including ICT, environment and transportation.

DSC_9722Visit to Hanoi Start-Up Centre

DSC_9707 Visit to Hanoi Start-Up Centre, Meeting with Director of Hanoi’s Information Department

Meetings and visits in Ho Chi Minh City

Delegates undertook a 2-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City to identify areas of cooperation.

DSC_9822Meeting with HCMC authorities chaired by Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Chief of Staff of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee

DSC_9892Group picture with Mr HOAN, Chief of Cabinet of Hochiminh City

DSC_9918 Group picture in front of HoChiMinh City Hall

DSC_0172Meeting with management board of Saigon river Tunnel

DSC_4893Meeting with management board of Saigon river Tunnel

DSC_9762Working meeting with Saigon High Tech Park

DSC_9795 Visit to FPT Software Company

DSC_9814 Meeting at innovation centre of FPT

DSC_9784Meeting with FPT experts about HCMC software for traffic management

DOCUMENTATION

00_DG REGIO

01 Hanoi Smart City (EN)

01b_Hanoi Smart City_(in Vietnamese)

02_Kosice

03_Milan

04_HCMC

05_IntroductionSaiGon Tunnel

06_HCMC_QTSC presentation_2017

Areas of cooperation

Hanoi – Milan

  • Mobility: In recent years, Hanoi’s traffic has dramatically increased – causing severe congestion and and is contributing to pollution in the city. Milan has undertaken comprehensive changes regarding mobility and sustainable traffic solutions – with very positive results in terms of environmentally-friendly transport systems that put buses, bicycles and pedestrians at the forefront, buy using innovative IT applications.
  • Smart Cities: Collaborate on Hanoi’s and Milan’s city development priority areas, including smart city administration, water quality management and start-up ecosystem development. As ICT is a major industry in Hanoi contributing to 15% of the revenue, the city has developed more than 50 apps for efficient service delivery to the public. These include smart parking, online payments and integrated traffic control. Hanoi has a plan to further develop start-up ecosystems.
  • Fashion Industry: Milan is considered a capital city of the global fashion industry, that showcases innovation in both fashion style and business practices. Hanoi is keen to lean from its lessons and further develop its own fashion style as a unique Vietnamese brand with influences from abroad.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – Košice:

  • Smart cities: Exchange experiences on innovation technologies and build collaboration between Kosice and Ho Chi Minh City’s Hi-Tech Park & Software Park. Both parks in Ho Chi Minh City are highly successful areas, with close access to other important business and transport nodes of the city. Collaboration will focus on development, data management, outsourcing and training
  • Universities and Research Institutions: Collaboration between universities of both cities to build highly trained and specialized work force and enhance innovative research output
  • FPT Software: FTP Software is a global soft ware outsourcing company based in Vietnam (the largest of its kind in the country), providing IT services globally from delivery centres in the US, Europe (including Slovakia) and the Asia Pacific. In-house expertise will be used to focus on the development of IT solutions for smart cities elements.
  • Exchange of start-ups from the of Quang Trung Software City (QTSC) and the University Center for Innovation Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Protection.
  • Fashion Industry: Similar to pilot project with Milan – Goal: Promote HCMC as a regional center for the fashion industry.
  • Visit of HCMC authorities to Kosice in late June 2017.

More details on the Visit of World Cities to the Quang Trung Software City (QTSC).