Vietnamese leather firms to benefit from cluster project
Funding from the Italian government will continue to help Vietnamese companies, including leather firms, to develop.
At a recent workshop in Hanoi entitled ‘SME Cluster Development in Vietnam’, head of the country’s ministry of planning and investment agency for enterprise development (ASMED), Ho Sy Hung, said that 90% of businesses in Vietnam are small- and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs), which means the growth of these firms is critical to the country’s economy.
The Italian government committed itself to a project in 2009 that involves helping to develop clusters in which SMEs can operate effectively and efficiently. The ultimate aim is to create new jobs, make these firms more competitive and to help them withstand global economic problems.
Leather and footwear, textile and garment, wood processing and furniture are the first three sectors to have benefited from the scheme as they are the country’s top export items.
According to ASMED, the country’s SMEs registered much higher growth in 2008-09 compared with 2005-06, despite the economic downturn. It also claims the number of SMEs has increased by around 21% annually, from 14,000 in 2000 to 84,500 in 2009.
Italy’s ambassador to Vietnam, Andrea Perugini, said the development of clusters would not only contribute to the country's growth but would also create favourable conditions for Italian businesses operating in the country.
