Trade and investment were high on the agenda of a working session between Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and Swiss Vice President Loris Leuthard, in Geneva on January 29.

She told Nhan, who doubles as Minister of Education and Training, that education and training was placed high in the Switzerland ’s cooperation programme with Vietnam . Leuthard welcomed Vietnam ’s initiative in signing a framework on tourist training, describing the project as of great potential.

The host also proposed an air route between Vietnam and Switzerland in order to further develop commercial, investment and tourist cooperation which is faring well so far.

Switzerland always places Vietnam top in its official development assistance (ODA) policy with priority given to assistance in global integration and post-WTO development, Leuthard emphasised, asking for Vietnam ’s feedback regarding a Swiss-funded project to improve the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s capacity after Vietnam joined the WTO.

In a dialogue with some 30 CEOs and executive directors from world giants on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum held in Davos , Switzerland , on the same day, Deputy PM Nhan pledged further administrative reforms to create better investment climate and an equal playground for all businesses.

He also assured foreign businesses of Vietnam ’s efforts to soon put in place market economy institutions, including the capital market.

“With a foothold in Vietnam, businesses are accessible to a market of 86 million customers and chances to expand into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with an over 600 million strong population and even broader markets as a number of free trade areas grouping the ASEAN with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea are in the making,” said the Deputy PM.

The business leaders appreciated Vietnam ’s success in containing inflation and maintaining high economic growth as well as foreign investment attraction over the past year.

President-cum-Executive Manager Nicholas E.Billotti of the US ’s Turner International LLC highlighted Vietnam ’s advantages such as hard working and educated workforce.

The dialogue, under the co-chair of WEF-Asia Chief Sushant Palakurthi Rao, also examined Vietnam ’s development directions, particularly those concerning infrastructure planning and human resource training.

VietNamNet/VNA