The Netherlands and UNDP assist Vietnam to build a circular economy

The capacity building program for SMEs is conducted by UNDP under the auspices of the Dutch government to give information on the circular economy, government policies on circular economy development, and European-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) requirements for sustainable trade.

The program intends to inspire and instruct participants on how to transform and execute circular economy principles. Training courses will be held by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE), Environmental Economic Policy Institute (EEPI), Hue Innovation Hub (Hi Hub), the Institute for Circular Economy Development (ICED) and the Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands. The second circular economy capacity building program will be organized from June 2022.

Mrs. Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, emphasized, "The circular economy transformation in a business requires changes in both awareness and actions to move corporate operations towards green, sustainable practices, in addition to the economic and environmental benefits."

Medium and small firms account for 96% of all businesses in Vietnam, engaging 47% of the workforce and contributing 26% to the gross domestic product. Therefore, businesses play a crucial role in promoting the adoption, implementation, and operation of circular business models that employ low-carbon and clean technologies.

"Only by transitioning to a circular economy can our businesses, cultures, and planet become greener. We anticipate that Vietnamese enterprises will be empowered with the practical knowledge and expertise necessary to develop their own circular business model as a result of today's capacity development program," Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman stated.

UNDP, along with the embassies of Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland, supported the establishment of the "Vietnam Circular Economy Network"  (referred to as CE Hub) in 2021. This network's objective is to raise awareness and develop the ability of all stakeholders (public authorities, corporations, civil society, and academia) to implement circular economy principles, integrating technological and financial resources to facilitate this change.

A Circular Economy Working Group has been created as part of this circular economy network. UNDP, ISPONRE, Hanoi Foreign Trade University (FTU), and Danang Entrepreneurship Support (DNES) successfully organized the first Circular Economy Training Program for businesses, which consisted of two lecturer training courses for 47 lecturers, experts, and managers, and two circular economy training courses for 52 businesses.