The Lao People's Democratic Republic plays a vital role in the regional economy with its strong agricultural, power generation, and mining sectors. Its expanding logistical infrastructure enables Laos to transform from land-locked to land-linked by connecting with five neighboring countries through highways, railways, and the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Corridors.

• GDP Growth: In 2022, Laos' GDP growth kept a steady pace at 2.5 percent.
• Inflation Rate: The inflation rate was recorded at 23.0% in 2022 but is forecasted to ease to 16.0% in 2023 and 5.0% in 2024.
• Labor force: 3 million Laotians constituted the labor force in 2022, which is 40% of the country’s total population.
• Top investors: China, Thailand, and Vietnam are the largest sources of foreign investment, accounting for a significant share of all FDI in Laos.

For the full report, kindly visit here>>>

To learn more about the economic insights of Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, follow us now or contact our Regional Management Team: regionCLM@vietnam.ahk.de

In this episode of AHK Vietnam Podcast, we will share our initial impressions and findings from our recent trip to the beautiful country Cambodia, not only about the infrastructure but also the people here.

As always, our special guests will shed light on different interesting insights into the country’s emerging market. We are grateful for the participation of:

• Minqian (Michelle) Zhao, Manager for Operation, Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Ltd.
• Marko Walde, Chief Representative of AHK in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos

Please sit tight and tune in now>>>

Coffee Time With AHK Vietnam – available on Spotify>>>, Apple Podcast>>>, and many more!

Cambodia's National Assembly (NA) election was held on July 23 and over 8.2 million people cast their ballots, representing 84.6 percent of the total 9.71 million registered voters, according to the National Election Committee of Cambodia.

Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) announced a landslide victory after the election. The CPP is projected to win 96 percent of the total 125 parliamentary seats. Hun Manet, a Cambodian General and a member of the CPP Standing Committee, is seen as a potential successor to Hun Sen as the future prime minister of Cambodia. The official results of the election will be announced between August 9 and September 4.

Cambodia will soon to set up a new National Assembly and a new Government to continue leading the Cambodian people on the path of development, stability, and prosperous country that has a growing role and stature in the region.

With Cambodia's annual electricity demand currently exceeding 15 TWh and continuing to rise, driven by robust population and economic growth, the country stands poised to leverage renewable energies for power generation. In 2022, renewable energies accounted for over half of the energy mix, with a total installed domestic power generation capacity of 3,464.67 MW. The primary contributor is hydropower, following by solar energy.

As Cambodia looks ahead, it also plans to explore the development of biomass as a renewable energy source. While making strides in renewable energy adoption, Cambodia continues to utilize non-renewable sources such as coal and fuel oil, as well as imports.

For more information about Cambodia’s renewable energy landscape, please visit here>>> or contact: Ms. Thuy Vu | E-mail: thuy.vu@vietnam.ahk.de

Visit our websites and learn more about our services in CLMV Sub-region:

• AHK Vietnam’s website>>
• AHK Myanmar’s website>>

Thanks to the implementation of government action plans and the presence of stable macroeconomic conditions, Vietnam has maintained positive economic growth. As a result, German companies operating in Vietnam are more optimistic than they were in the Autumn of 2022, even though their short-term expectations remain cautions due to the current global challenges.

According to AHK World Business Outlook - Spring 2023, 88 percent of the surveyed participants are confident in their business situation in Vietnam, nearly half of those from Germany expect economic growth to remain consistent, and 21 percent of them believe it will improve further.

We would like to thank Vietnam Investment Review Magazine for the full coverage of our latest report. Kindly check out the article>>>

The first channel of Vietnam Television Station reported about the hybrid conference between Thai Binh’s provincial authorities and the German delegation accompanied by AHK Vietnam and GBA Vietnam.

Multiple potentials of Thai Binh Province were again emphasized and on top of that, German companies learned about the beneficial incentives and policies here to devise their investment strategies in the future.

AHK Vietnam wants to extend our thanks to the presses and media for reporting this meaningful event.

Full VTV1’s Broadcast News (in Vietnamese) here>>>

Full report on Thai Binh News here>>>

Full report on VTC News here>>>

The government has recently announced some new policies to help businesses and households cope with the economic challenges caused by the fluctuation of markets. One of them is Resolution 58, in which the extension of the deadline for paying value-added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax, and land rent in 2023 was regulated.

Mr. Marko Walde was featured in two programs from VTV4 and shared his points of view on the impact of these new guidelines. He emphasized that focusing on people as well as enhancing local businesses and suppliers’ competence or competitiveness could be crucial strategies to boost the economy in the coming time.

The full show from VTV4 could be viewed here>>>

Check out a variety of up-to-date information about agricultural and food sector in Vietnam here>>>

The German Agricultural and Nutrition Authority supports German companies with market entry and expansion in Vietnam in the food and agrotechnology sector.

Stay updated with our quarterly newsletter on market and events! Subscribe now>>>

For any further questions, please contact our Project Manager Ms. Phuong Doan | E-mail: agriandfood@vietnam.ahk.de

On July 20, Marko Walde attended a panel discussion in terms of the Greener Together Conference at Fulbright University with a focus on "Broadening energy partnerships as an expression of Vietnam’s non-alignment policy".

During the conservation with other guest speakers, Marko Walde addressed crucial German best practices with regard to the green energy transition:

• Strong commitment to renewable energy investment;
• The establishment of supportive policies and regulations;
• The promotion of research and development in green technologies;
• The fostering of public-private partnerships to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy sources.

Many thanks to Fulbright University Vietnam for having AHK Vietnam on this insightful talk to discuss the topic concerning a handful of German businesses nowadays.

On July 20, 2023, the seminar "Raising Awareness of the Supply Chain Due Diligence and Risk Identification (LkSG)" was held successfully in Hanoi, with the participation of several representatives from reputable Vietnamese businesses belonging to the supply chains of major corporations such as Honda, Tesla, Apple, including LeGroup, Matexim Joint Stock Company for Materials and Equipment, Lens Vietnam Technology Co., Ltd.

During the program, Ms. Lanh Huyen Nhu - Sustainable Supply Chain Project Manager - had shared in-depth fundamental information about the Law, including its formation process, prescribed obligations, and practical implications for Vietnamese suppliers.

Furthermore, the training also featured the participation of Mr. Tran Xuan Quang (Lukas) - an expert in CSR compliance and sustainable standards also provided further training on violations, methods of identifying and evaluating violations in the supply chain. This led to discussions around the challenges faced by businesses and fostered dialogue to learn about prevention and mitigation strategies.

For any inquiries on training or project consultation, please contact Ms. Lanh Huyen Nhu | Email: lanh.nhu@vietnam.ahk.de or visit AHK Vietnam's project page for more information here>>>

On July 12, AHK Vietnam was honoured to attend the trade conference hosted by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency VIETRADE (MoIT).

The agenda contained several insightful highlights, remarkably the Report on The Program of connecting the suppliers with distributors, exporters, trade promotion organizations in 2023, and then was followed by panel discussions on promoting local products in domestic as well as international distribution channels.

Marko Walde participated in the 2nd panel discussion. At the end of the event, businesses were offered a business-matching session to get in touch and exchange further experiences.

For full information of this event, visit here>>>

The Seminar will take place on September 12 - 15 and September 18, 2023, for an immersive learning experience that follows the prestigious German DIHK standards. Our seasoned experts, armed with years of practical knowledge, will guide you through a dynamic blend of theory and simulated practice.

 Joining in this remarkable seminar, you are able to:

• Master the renowned dual vocational training model, incorporating both German standards and the Vietnamese vocational training system.
• Optimize collaboration, implementation, and development of training programs like a pro!
• Acquire cutting-edge teaching methods, create engaging lessons, and design impactful training programs.
• Enhance your apprentice management skills and evaluate training effectiveness with confidence.
• Expertly handle any situation that arises during training while building meaningful connections with your apprentices.

Furthermore, successful participants will receive the coveted "AdA - Train the Trainer" certificate from DIHK - GIC/AHK Vietnam, a testament to your newfound expertise!

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity! Secure your spot by registering now here>>>

The deadline for registration is August 28, 2023.

If you have any question, please contact Ms. Thuy Bui | Email: thuy.bui@vietnam.ahk.de

AHK Vietnam had a memorable week accompanying the Project Team Hand in Hand from Berlin. During this particular trip, we had productive in-person meetings with multiple stakeholders in the scope of the project Hand in Hand for International Talents. Other crucial highlights of them that could be named are:

• Visit Saigon tourist Hospitality College and Cao Thang Technical College whose alumni of Restaurant & Hotel and Electrical/electronic engineering
• Meet and greet with project candidates and discuss about their inquiries about life in Germany.

Again, AHK Vietnam and Project Team Berlin appreciate our quality network and the great cooperation with all partners in helping the young Vietnamese talents to get stable jobs or permanent positions in Germany!

For more photos of this event, visit here>>>

To strengthen our team, we - the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam - are looking for a full-time, 40-hours/week intern for the Vocational Education & Training Department in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Duration: 3 – 6 months
• Start from July 2023

More details of this job here>>>

If you are interested in being a part of our dynamic team, kindly submit your application to Ms. Van Anh Do | E-mail: vananh.do@vietnam.ahk.de