On Wednesday, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao paid a courtesy visit to Da Nang People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho.

President Nakao (second left) and Chairman Tho (Photo: cadn.com.vn)

President Nakao said that he was very impressed by the city's dynamic growth over recent years. He affirmed that ADB would continue to give its active support to the city authorities during its progress in the coming time.

In reply, Chairman Tho remarked Da Nang is setting its target of becoming a clean, modern and smart city.

During the 2015 - 2020 period, the focus will be on promoting the development of tourism services, attracting more investment inflows into hi-tech industry, constructing synchronous infrastructure, building a civilised urban lifestyle, and training high-quality human resources.

The host took the opportunity to thank ADB for their assistance to deploy some key projects in his city over recent years through. Included were the Mekong Business Initiative (MBI), the ‘Water Supply System Expansion’ project over the 2012 - 2018 period, the ‘Feasibility Study to Expand Storm Resistant Housing for a Resilient Da Nang’ project, and a project on building solid waste treatment complex.

The city leader also hoped that ADB would continue to provide more support for local businesses, as well as for the city to implement some projects on infrastructure development, climate change adaptation, solid waste treatment, and anti-coastal erosion.

Also on the same day, President Nakao and some ADB representatives visited the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support (DNES).

In another meeting with DNES’s leaders, the Japanese president highly appreciated the city authorities for their great efforts in developing a potential startup ecosystem in the locality.

He underlined the importance of entrepreneurial and innovation spirit in boosting development of the city, and the adaptation to new technologies in developing an innovation economy.

Mr Nakao (right) speaking with some representatives from startup businesses at DNES (Photo:danang.gov.vn)

Mr Nakao, therefore, suggested that the city should improve its infrastructure, and give businesses easier access to high-quality social services.

He promised that ADB would assist the city to establish an entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. More active support would be given for DNES to implement the Mekong Innovative Startup in Tourism (MIST) programme. The purpose of the programme was to promote the development of innovation tourism business models, and foster the progress of tourism in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.

In reply, DNES Director Tran Vu Nguyen thanked ADB for their active assistance for his agency in establishing sustainable business models, training high-quality human resources for DNES, and creating a chance for DNES to share knowledge and experience with such international partners as Canada, Singapore and Finland.

“Thanks to the help of ADB, DNES has cooperated with the Frontier Law and Advisory company to provide legal services for local startup businesses”, he added.