On the afternoon of April 7, during the AIM 2025 (Annual Investment Meeting) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung delivered a keynote speech at the thematic session on foreign investment attraction, reaffirming Vietnam’s strong commitment to fostering an open, sustainable, and investor-friendly environment.

A call for faster, more sustainable development

Deputy Prime Minister Dung described AIM 2025 as a valuable opportunity for governments, international experts, and the global business community to exchange ideas and drive collaborative development in the face of new global challenges.

Recognizing the complex and unpredictable developments in the global and regional landscape, he noted that strategic competition, inflation risks, and financial instability are negatively impacting economic growth worldwide. Trade wars, in particular, are escalating and may redefine the global economic order.

“Despite these risks, the current context presents a crucial opportunity for nations to strengthen cooperation toward a more inclusive and sustainable world,” said the Deputy Prime Minister, adding that emerging trends such as the digital economy, green economy, circular economy, and knowledge economy are opening up new growth frontiers where dynamic, reform-driven, and integration-focused countries will lead.

After nearly four decades of reform, Vietnam has transformed from an underdeveloped economy into a thriving growth hub. It has maintained macroeconomic stability, improved growth quality and speed, and significantly raised the living standards of its people.

Today, Vietnam is the third-largest economy in ASEAN and widely recognized as one of the most successful countries in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). However, Vietnam remains a developing economy in transition, with a modest scale and high openness - making it vulnerable to global shifts.

Looking ahead, Deputy Prime Minister Dung emphasized that Vietnam must grow “faster, more sustainably, and at a higher rate.”

Vietnam has set forth its "Two Centennial Goals": by 2030, to become a developing country with a modern industrial base and upper-middle income; and by 2045, to become a high-income developed nation - marking the dawn of a new era of national strength and prosperity.

Removing bottlenecks, revitalizing growth drivers

To achieve these ambitions, Vietnam is implementing a range of measures to maintain macroeconomic stability; enhance economic autonomy and resilience through deep, practical global integration; and advance three strategic breakthroughs: institutional reform, infrastructure development, and high-quality human resources.

The government is particularly focused on removing structural bottlenecks, renewing growth engines, and unlocking resources to support 8% GDP growth in 2025 - laying the groundwork for double-digit growth in the years to follow.

In terms of FDI strategy, Vietnam is adopting a selective approach, targeting key sectors such as strategic infrastructure, science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, biotechnology, new materials, semiconductors, AI, renewable and green energy (including hydrogen), logistics, and green finance.

Vietnam also aims to reduce administrative processing times by at least 30% within 2025.

“To realize these goals, international partners - particularly the UAE - will play a crucial role,” Deputy Prime Minister Dung emphasized.

After three decades of cooperation, the Vietnam–UAE Comprehensive Partnership has entered a new, deeper, and more substantive phase. The UAE is currently Vietnam’s largest trade partner and export market in the Middle East, as well as a vital investment bridge to the Arab world and Africa.

Vietnam highly values the UAE’s growing role as a regional and global hub for finance, logistics, and innovation. The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) marks a breakthrough that will significantly boost bilateral trade in the near future.

Three focus areas for the new era

During the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Dung invited world leaders, experts, and investors to collaborate on advancing global investment cooperation, highlighting three key priorities:

First, assess the current global context and forecast trends to clearly identify new opportunities and challenges.

Second, evaluate the role and potential of foreign investment in enhancing economic linkages - especially for developing countries.

Third, explore emerging technologies and their impact on foreign investment, including advancements in AI, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and 5G.

From Vietnam’s perspective, Deputy Prime Minister Dung reiterated that the government is fully committed to supporting international partners, enterprises, and investors in promoting sustainable and effective business and investment collaboration.

“AIM will continue to serve as an important platform for us to explore innovative policies and forward-thinking strategies, delivering practical benefits for the shared prosperity of the region and the world,” he concluded.

Chinhphu.vn