This annual event, rotating among ASEAN countries, is significant in scale and purpose, focusing on promoting economic cooperation and sustainable development in the region.

The 5th ASEAN Economic Forum 2024 held in Singapore

This year’s forum was organised by the Vietnam-ASEAN Institute for Entrepreneur Development under the Central Association for Southeast Asian Scientific Research, in collaboration with various units and relevant agencies.

The forum was attended by Le Doan Hop, former Minister of Information and Communications; Vu Van Minh, Deputy Ambassador of the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore; Le Thi Kim Xuan, president of the Vietnam-ASEAN Institute for Entrepreneur Development; and Bui Thu Linh, president of the Vietnamese Business Association in Singapore. The event also had the participation of businesses, including Amway and QP Vietnam Co., Ltd.

Xuan said that the 2024 ASEAN Economic Forum was being held as the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership continues to grow.

Singapore plays an important role as an economic partner for Vietnam. Singapore is Vietnam's fourth-largest trading partner in ASEAN and its second-largest foreign investor. Traditional fields such as trade in goods and cooperation between the two countries are being expanded in a diverse and sustainable direction, in line with current trends such as energy transition, the digital economy, digital transformation, and the green economy.

“Success in economic cooperation in recent years has shown the important role and contribution of the two countries' businesses, not only big corporations and companies but also small- and medium-sized enterprises from Singapore and Vietnam,” she added.

“We appreciate the active participation of Vietnamese, Singaporean, Malaysian, Hong Kong, and Chinese businesses at this forum. We hope that during this event, businesses will have useful and practical discussions, and provide specific and innovative recommendations, solutions, and measures to further strengthen existing cooperation, contributing to promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation,” Xuan said.

As a bridge for cooperation and development, this year's forum focused on discussing the current situation and ways to enhance competitiveness, creating opportunities for businesses and investors in the region to meet, exchange experiences, and explore cooperation needs. Discussions centred on key areas such as IT, communications, banking, education and training, and healthcare.

The ASEAN Economic Forum 2024 provides a platform connecting prominent Vietnamese businesses with others in the region, contributing to the promotion of global economic integration.

In recent years, Vietnam has been contributing to building a prosperous ASEAN community. Despite difficulties, economic cooperation between Vietnam and ASEAN has continued to grow, becoming a highlight of the economic picture in Vietnam and the region. This success is largely due to the contributions from the business community.

The forum was an opportunity to introduce and promote notable brands from Vietnam and Singapore in fields of high current interest. The event included the signing of strategic cooperation agreements between businesses, marking a significant milestone for the event's success this year.

The announcement ceremony for the ASEAN Award 2024

Within the framework of the event, the ASEAN Award 2024 was held to recognise the contributions of outstanding Vietnamese and ASEAN businesses, renowned ASEAN brands, and excellent managers. They included entrepreneurs and businesses known for their innovation, creativity, and significant contributions to economic development, social welfare, and sustainable development in the region.