A strategy meeting for the Lower Mekong Initiative’s TIGERS@Mekong project was held in HCM City on August 29.
The project is a public-private alliance platform aimed at
strengthening the start-up and innovation eco-systems in targeted
Mekong economies by supporting young innovators and entrepreneurs in
the technology sector.
The meeting, held by the US
Department of State and the technology media, event and research company
IDG ASEAN, brought together 50 key government and technology sector
stakeholders.
The participants discussed for a
strategy and planning on creating an effective enabling environment for
technology entrepreneurs in the Lower Mekong sub-region.
The meeting allowed government officials from Cambodia , Laos ,
Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to assess their nations’
entrepreneurial eco-systems and the private sector to share insights
into developing their components.
The participants
considered the unique needs of specific groups like women and young
entrepreneurs, and identified priorities for future TIGERS@Mekong
activities.
TIGERS@Mekong will leverage US expertise
in fostering entrepreneurship and deploy strategic partnerships between
US and Mekong private sectors to strengthen the region’s start-up and
innovation ecosystems, promote and facilitate connectivity in the
region, and foster innovative business models.
“In
recognition of the Mekong region’s potential as a source of innovation
and in an effort to boost competitiveness and growth in the region, the
US Department of State launched the Mekong Technology Innovation
Generation and Entrepreneurship Resources (TIGERS@Mekong) as a signature
project under the Connect Mekong framework at the East Asia Summit in
2012,” the US Department of State Special Representative for Global
Partnerships, Andrew O’Brien, told the meeting.
“TIGERS@Mekong is about many, many things, but at its core it is about
connecting people and putting like-minded people on the same path to
prosperity. The nature of diplomacy has changed very much in recent
years – and the greatest thing we can do as allies today is to get on –
and stay on – a path towards a shared economic future.”
A senior official from Foreign Affairs Ministry Nguyen Van Thao said:
“The robust globalisation and development of the knowledge-based economy
are posing challenges to Mekong countries, and among these are, first
and foremost, gaps in knowledge and technology.”
Vietnam therefore supports the launch of TIGERS@Mekong and will closely
coordinate with LMI member countries to implement TIGERS@Mekong and
Connect Mekong to make best use of the US ‘s advantages for supporting
Mekong countries in integration and bridging the development gap, he
said.
The project should support the connectivity and
development of technology businesses, particularly small and
medium-sized enterprises, in knowledge intensive and high value-added
industries through inspiring innovation and developing high-quality
workforces in Mekong countries, he said.
“In an
effort to mobilise resources from business sector, we do expect
TIGERS@Mekong to serve as a platform for US and Mekong enterprises to
involve in public-private partnership projects, particularly those in
technology infrastructure connectivity and research- knowledge
exchange.”
With a population of around 90 million
people, half of them under 30, Vietnam is endowed with not only a young
and abundant workforce that is dynamic, diligent and capable of
absorbing technology, but also a market of great potential, he said.
The accelerated industrialisation and modernisation process of the
country are opening up new investment opportunities in areas where the
US has an edge – like infrastructure, technology, renewable energy, and
environment – he said.-VNA