Ambassador Lê Thị Tuyết Mai. Photo vtv.vn

Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái is attending the 52nd World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting from May 23-24 in Davos, Switzerland. Ambassador Lê Thi Tuyết Mai, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Việt Nam to the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international organisations in Geneva, talks to VTV News on relations between Việt Nam and WEF, as well as issues surrounding the content of this year's forum.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 (WEF Davos Conference 2022) has the theme "History at a turning point: Government Policies and Business Strategies". This will be the first live event promoting public-private cooperation between leaders of countries, international organisations and global corporations since the COVID-19 pandemic. Could you please tell us more about the issues that will be discussed at the Conference, as well as the purpose, meaning and comments on this year's topic?

The World Economic Forum, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is the leading economic forum, as a non-profit international organisation, operating as a non-profit international organisation in the form of public-private partnership. The WEF 2022 conference as usual takes place in Davos, Switzerland, but unlike before when it is usually held in January every year, this year it takes place from May 22-26, 2022, after being postponed for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WEF 2022 takes place at an important time when the world is facing many challenges.

This is one of the major events with the direct attendance of world leaders, with nearly 2,500 leaders of countries, international organisations, businesses, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and those from the academic circle. The conference aims to promote public-private cooperation, find solutions to the world's most pressing challenges, such as the global pandemic, armed conflict in Ukraine as well as geo-economic shocks and climate change. The central theme, as well as solutions discussed and proposed at the forum, indicate humanity's common interest and aspiration towards prosperity, stability and development after two years of severe impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in the context of increasing geopolitical tensions today.

How do you evaluate the significance of Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái's attendance at this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting?

Since Việt Nam and WEF established relations in 1989, leaders of the two sides have been interested in promoting and developing cooperation in many fields. Việt Nam regularly sends delegations to the WEF's Annual Meetings in Davos and the region. The fact that Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend this year's WEF shows that Việt Nam values ​​and promotes cooperation with the WEF, and that Việt Nam has strong commitments to work with the international community in addressing global issues such as recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, responding to climate change, as well as emerging non-traditional security challenges such as the food crisis and cyber security.

In addition, after two years of postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WEF Davos 2022 will be attended by thousands of senior leaders from countries, international organisations, and the private sector, along with nearly 100 pioneers of Global Technology and Innovation - the world's most promising technology and business start-ups. This event is an opportunity for senior Vietnamese leaders to directly introduce themselves to leaders of countries, international organisations, businesses, and major investors around the world about the socio-economic development strategy in the new period, the policy of opening up tourism, promoting and attracting tourists, trade, investment and inclusive economic recovery, among other policies.

On the agenda of WEF Davos 2022, heads of state, government leaders and international organisations will share priorities for a challenging year ahead. What contributions will Việt Nam make at the Conference?

The programme of WEF 2022 includes seven main topics including global cooperation; economic rebalancing; social, equity and global health; nature, food and climate; industrial transformation; and innovation, governance and cybersecurity. The forum marks a new era of global responsibility and cooperation, with a focus on establishing strategies and providing solutions to the world's biggest problems that tackle long-term economic, environmental and social priorities.

At WEF 2022, the Deputy Prime Minister will be sharing Việt Nam's visions at key sessions on "Averting a global food crisis", "A Digital ASEAN for all" and the Leaders Dialogue on building a resilient economy for sustainable growth. These are all key issues on the agenda of the Conference, which have received much attention from countries as well as the international business community, and are also among the priority areas of Việt Nam's development strategy.

When talking about Việt Nam's contribution, in a phone conversation with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on April 13, 2022, WEF founding chairman Professor Klaus Schwab said that with the right development orientation, commitment and determination to digital transformation, green transformation as well as human potential, Việt Nam is becoming an active partner of the international community in efforts to shape the future, and at the same time a popular destination for global businesses.

Professor Schwab also said that, given the role and prestige of Việt Nam, its participation in the 2022 WEF Conference, along with leaders of other countries, international organisations and global corporations, will contribute to the orientation of ideas, strategic thinking and policy in the current turning point.

WEF is the world's leading prestigious public-private partnership forum with a member network of some of the world's leading corporations and a place to promote new trends and ideas for socio-economic development on a global scale. Could you please evaluate the role of WEF in Việt Nam’s development and the relationship between Việt Nam and WEF?

Leaders of the State and Government of Việt Nam have always appreciated the importance of WEF to Việt Nam's socio-economic development. In addition to consulting activities and policy dialogues, providing information on new development trends in the world for reporting and research, forecasting, and policy advice, WEF is currently promoting cooperation with Vietnamese ministries and sectors in areas of expertise in the fields of technology, digital economy, agriculture, food, skills training, and plastic waste reduction.

With the results achieved in the recent cooperation between Việt Nam and the WEF, the two sides attach great importance to and wish to further promote the cooperation relationship.

On the occasion of attending WEF 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái is scheduled to have a working session with WEF President Borge Brende on continuing to promote cooperation between Việt Nam and WEF. They are expected to discuss towards signing a Cooperation Agreement between Việt Nam and the WEF on the basis of the proposal of the founding Chairman of the WEF, creating a framework for cooperation programmes and activities between Việt Nam and the WEF as well as a network of large international corporations that are members of the WEF. All of these are expected to thereby assist Việt Nam in successfully implementing its socio-economic development strategy for the 2021-2025 period and towards 2030. This will, at the same time, demonstrate Việt Nam's efforts as a member of the WEF, an active partner of the international community in socio-economic development efforts during the turning point. VNS