Co-hosted by the Da People's Committee and Embassy of Viet Nam in Qatar, the Da Nang – Qatar investment and business conference took place in Qatar on Thursday. The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar Tran Duc Hung and representatives of Qatari companies operating in such fields as investment funds, finance, banking, international trade, tourism, real estate, and logistics, investment consulting, along with Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh.

Da Nang People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh delivers his remarks at the conference.

In his remarks at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar Tran Duc Hung said that this is the first time Embassy of Viet Nam in Qatar has supported a specific locality of Viet Nam to promote investment attraction in Qatar. Especially, this is also the first economic event in 2023 to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Qatar (February 8)

According to Ambassador Tran Duc Hung, the value of total trade between Viet Nam and Qatar has been from USD 400 to USD 500 million in recent years, and it is forecast to gradually increase over coming years. He added that 2023 is another pivotal year for Viet Nam to implement its economic plan in the 2021-2025 period. Therefore, the Vietnamese Government will focus on removing difficulties for industrial enterprises, finding effective solutions to boost foreign direct investment with an emphasis on completing infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for foreign investors, and driving the recovery of international tourism, and more. These will faciliate Qatari businesses to access the Vietnamese market in the near future.

Da Nang visitors and representatives of Qatari companies exchange on the sidelines of the conference.

Opening remarks at the conference, Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh emphasized that Da Nang is identified as an economic, political and cultural center, and a strategic port city of Viet Nam. The city plays a key role in driving the growth of Central Viet Nam, and it is also Viet Nam’s top destination for domestic and international investors., Mr Chinh added.

Da Nang’s development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045 sets out an ambition to develop the city into a major center of social and economic activities in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia.

Accordingly, Da Nang prioritizes on calling for foreign direct investment with a focus on encouraging Qatari businesses to seek investment opportunities in the city in such fields as tourism, financial services, infrastructure, and logistics.

In 2018, Qatar Airways launched its first non-stop commercial passenger flights to Da Nang, contributing to boosting the number of Qatari tourists in the city, as well as opening up new opportunities for bilateral trade and investment cooperation between Da Nang and Qatar.

This is the first time Da Nang has conducted investment promotion activities in Qatar. During the event, Da Nang was committed to creating the most favorable conditions for Qatari businesses to invest and operate effectively in the city.

Representatives of Qatari companies learn about the investment climate in Da Nang

Competitive advantages in investing in Da Nang, along with investment procedures and incentives were highlighted at the conference. In addition, a list of Da Nang’s key projects calling for investment was introduced to Qatari businesses. Included were Lien Chieu Port, Hi-Tech Park, Dedicated Information Technology Park, International Financial Center, plus tourism and trade projects.

Speaking at the conference, Qatari businesses hoped that Da Nang would conduct more events to promote investment attraction and tourism in Qatar. In particular, such travel companies in Qatar as Mosafer Travel and Tourism, Regency Travel and Tours, Desert Harbor Tourism revealed that many Qatari tourists evinced keen interest in travelling to Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole. They stressed the need for Da Nang to pay special attention to providing food and transportation services meeting  Halal standards to serve Muslim tourists. Heed must be paid to developing tourism services and tourist attractions dedicated to children and families to meet the demand from Qatari tourists.

Da Nang also identifies Qatar, UAE and Countries in Middle East as new and potential markets for its tourism. Hence, the city will work with Embassy of Viet Nam in Qatar to conduct more events to promote investment attraction in the coming time.

The conference’s participants taking a souvenir photo.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh applauded constructive ideas of the conference’s participants, and also expressed his wish to welcome Qatari businesses to visit and seek investment opportunities in the city in coming time. He pledged that the municipal government wouldl create the most favorable conditions for Qatari businesses to invest and operate effectively in the city.

Reporting by GIA MINH – Translating by H.L