Workshop “Viet Nam’s Inclusive Innovation Policy: Strategies for STI Policy Design and Implementation in the Next Development Phase”

Opening remarks by Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam

July 3, 2020

Mr. Phan Duc Hieu, Vice Director of Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM)

Mr. Nguyen Hoa Cuong, Vice Director of Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM)

Distinguished colleagues, partners, colleagues and friends.

Distinguished representatives from the business, government, media, and non-for-profit sector,

Thank you very much for taking time to participate in this workshop on the very important topic of promoting inclusive innovation in Viet Nam.

As early as 2017, UNDP partnered with Party Central Commission for Economic Affairs of the Theoretical Council to promote Inclusive IR4.0 and inclusive innovation in Viet Nam. In 2019, together with CIEM we launched the study on “Viet Nam’s Inclusive Innovation Policy: Strategies for STI Policy Design and Implementation in the Next Development Phase”, the report of which will be presented today.

The rationale for promoting inclusive innovation, which is defined as “innovation of, by and for all”, is based on UNDP Human Development and people centered development concept. The concept suggests that people – the drivers and beneficiaries of development – are both innovators and consumers of innovation and inclusive innovation is necessary for achieving the economic growth and social advancement for all.    

To achieve the SDGs, as IR4.0 and Climate Change accelerate, new drivers of sustainable growth are needed, especially those that are based on innovation, new value creation and leaving no one behind. In this transition, it is important that humans should be treated as the source of creative value, and not simply as units of labor, or overheads to production (which is what current developments in IR4.0 suggest will be the case for the near future economy). Inclusive Innovation, therefore, is at the heart of making IR4.0 inclusive - a transition process in which all people actively participate in, contribute to and benefit from IR4.0.

The initial success of Viet Nam in containing the Corona virus and limiting the socio-economic impacts proved the importance of inclusive innovation  that is generated in Viet Nam.  This was evidenced for example by: the MOH smartphone app for disseminating information, the Ghen Covy Song that raised awareness and reached millions, the production of antibacterial cloth masks and Corona virus test kits, as well as the establishment of rice ATMs and Zero Dong supermarkets (noting that the Rice ATM and Zero Dong supermarket are now being replicated in several countries).

The key question for all of us, and especially for today’s workshop, is HOW to learn from these ingenious expressions of innovation to respond to the impacts of the COVID pandemic to promote and apply inclusive innovation in Viet Nam for achieving the SDGs, making IR40.0 inclusive, and building a bold and resilient recovery in the new normal.

The study team will share the findings and recommendations of the report, but more importantly we expect all of you, in the spirit of inclusive innovation, to discuss and propose innovative actions – that address the question of ‘HOW’ - to take inclusive innovation forward in Viet Nam.

I would like to share following 4 questions for possible discussion:

1. How can the entrepreneurial role the GoV played in making critically needed test kits available in such a short time, be applied in the current context to help innovators fast track pre-commercialization and commercialization of R&D results so that more truly made in Viet Nam innovative products can be made available?

2. What policies are needed to maximize opportunities for the “decentralized economy” via e-commerce and e-payment services offers to help: (i)  remote villagers connect to markets and benefit from new streams of jobs and (ii) micro, small and medium enterprises in Viet Nam connect better to local supply chains?

3. What innovative supporting institutions are needed for the NIC and various SME and start-up Support Facilities to better reach out to, and meet the needs of SMEs, and at the same time,  enhance the linkages of research and vocational training institutions with SMEs? 

4. What policy environment and actions are needed for encouraging local populations to generate and apply innovative solutions to address local social and environment problems, and to live safely with COVID-19?  

I look forward to the constructive discussion and most importantly, to the proposed innovative actions coming from this workshop. I closing, I would like to express our strong belief that inclusive innovation is central to Viet Nam  making a bold recovery in the ‘new normal’ and to accelerating the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, where No One is Left Behind.

Thank You, Xin Cam On

Mr. Phan Duc Hieu, Vice Director of Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM)

Mr. Nguyen Hoa Cuong, Vice Director of Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM)

Distinguished colleagues, partners, colleagues and friends.

Distinguished representatives from the business, government, media, and non-for-profit sector,

Thank you very much for taking time to participate in this workshop on the very important topic of promoting inclusive innovation in Viet Nam.

As early as 2017, UNDP partnered with Party Central Commission for Economic Affairs of the Theoretical Council to promote Inclusive IR4.0 and inclusive innovation in Viet Nam. In 2019, together with CIEM we launched the study on “Viet Nam’s Inclusive Innovation Policy: Strategies for STI Policy Design and Implementation in the Next Development Phase”, the report of which will be presented today.

The rationale for promoting inclusive innovation, which is defined as “innovation of, by and for all”, is based on UNDP Human Development and people centered development concept. The concept suggests that people – the drivers and beneficiaries of development – are both innovators and consumers of innovation and inclusive innovation is necessary for achieving the economic growth and social advancement for all.    

To achieve the SDGs, as IR4.0 and Climate Change accelerate, new drivers of sustainable growth are needed, especially those that are based on innovation, new value creation and leaving no one behind. In this transition, it is important that humans should be treated as the source of creative value, and not simply as units of labor, or overheads to production (which is what current developments in IR4.0 suggest will be the case for the near future economy). Inclusive Innovation, therefore, is at the heart of making IR4.0 inclusive - a transition process in which all people actively participate in, contribute to and benefit from IR4.0.

The initial success of Viet Nam in containing the Corona virus and limiting the socio-economic impacts proved the importance of inclusive innovation  that is generated in Viet Nam.  This was evidenced for example by: the MOH smartphone app for disseminating information, the Ghen Covy Song that raised awareness and reached millions, the production of antibacterial cloth masks and Corona virus test kits, as well as the establishment of rice ATMs and Zero Dong supermarkets (noting that the Rice ATM and Zero Dong supermarket are now being replicated in several countries).

The key question for all of us, and especially for today’s workshop, is HOW to learn from these ingenious expressions of innovation to respond to the impacts of the COVID pandemic to promote and apply inclusive innovation in Viet Nam for achieving the SDGs, making IR40.0 inclusive, and building a bold and resilient recovery in the new normal.

The study team will share the findings and recommendations of the report, but more importantly we expect all of you, in the spirit of inclusive innovation, to discuss and propose innovative actions – that address the question of ‘HOW’ - to take inclusive innovation forward in Viet Nam.

I would like to share following 4 questions for possible discussion:

1. How can the entrepreneurial role the GoV played in making critically needed test kits available in such a short time, be applied in the current context to help innovators fast track pre-commercialization and commercialization of R&D results so that more truly made in Viet Nam innovative products can be made available?

2. What policies are needed to maximize opportunities for the “decentralized economy” via e-commerce and e-payment services offers to help: (i)  remote villagers connect to markets and benefit from new streams of jobs and (ii) micro, small and medium enterprises in Viet Nam connect better to local supply chains?

3. What innovative supporting institutions are needed for the NIC and various SME and start-up Support Facilities to better reach out to, and meet the needs of SMEs, and at the same time,  enhance the linkages of research and vocational training institutions with SMEs? 

4. What policy environment and actions are needed for encouraging local populations to generate and apply innovative solutions to address local social and environment problems, and to live safely with COVID-19?  

I look forward to the constructive discussion and most importantly, to the proposed innovative actions coming from this workshop. I closing, I would like to express our strong belief that inclusive innovation is central to Viet Nam  making a bold recovery in the ‘new normal’ and to accelerating the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, where No One is Left Behind.

Thank You, Xin Cam On