Mr. Don Lam, CEO and Founding Partner of VinaCapital, tells VET’s Nguyen Ha about the economic scenarios and investment opportunities in 2017.

A number of key players in Vietnam’s economy talked about what is needed for the country to continue on its path towards development and prosperity.

VietNamNet Bridge - The draft decree on international cooperation in education from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) says investors must have at least VND1 trillion in capital to set up a university in Vietnam.

VietNamNet Bridge - Many real estate developers in recent years have been running a race to provide  products that serve tourism, an achievement that has helped attract 10 million foreign travelers to Vietnam.

Online payments made some headway in Vietnam during 2016 but it remains in the initial stages of development.

2016 saw an explosion in technology startups, with some proving successful while others withered on the vine.

VietNamNet Bridge - The concerns among experts is that the dyke, at a lower level, may protect Hanoi in case of heavy floods.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietjet Air has launched its IPO and plans to list its shares at the HCMC Stock Exchange (HOSE) on February 28. It is also considering issuing bonds in the international market.  

 Vietnam’s agriculture sector put in a solid 2016 despite crippling blows both natural and man-made.

 With a new international standard for revenue reporting on the global horizon, smart local companies must look ahead of the current domestic requirements and prepare for the future.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued an urgent notice requiring centrally-run cities and provinces, ministries and agencies to deploy strong measures to prevent avian influenza viruses including H7N9 from entering Vietnam. 

 Pinkeye cases have been occurring nationwide in a scattered manner, but they are tending to increase and can spread rapidly if preventive measures are not taken, health experts warn.

 Viet Nam has been ranked 86th out of 118 countries in the annual Global Talent Competitiveness Index, which measures how countries grow, attract and retain talent.

 Vietnamese consumers are favouring more imported fruits as spending last year reached over USD700m, that has put more pressure on the local businesses.

 Projects by companies from other APEC countries not only have big scales but also make sizeable contributions to Vietnam’s socioeconomic development. FDI from these countries is still continuing to flow into Vietnam.

Vu Quang Hai, the son of sacked former Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang, has been officially dismissed from his positions at Vietnam's largest beer producer Sabeco as member of the board of directors and deputy general director.

 Scientists from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology have discovered 700 psychedelic rock geckos on Hon Khoai island, Ngoc Hien district in the southernmost province of Ca Mau.

Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc nominated its Senior Vice President and Strategic Planning-Asia Pacific Director Koji Shibata for a position on the Board of Directors of the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines. 

 As of January 2017, Vietnam had channeled almost 21.4 billion USD into 1,188 projects across 70 countries and territories, an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment has said.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever on Feb. 17 during which he pledged that Vietnam is making effort to improve its business environment to support the long-term operation of foreign investors.