USAID’s Governance for Inclusive Growth Program awarded a $58,524 grant in October 2017 to the Mekong Development Research Institute (MDRI) - an independent scientific research agency in Vietnam - to assist local SMEs in accessing international markets through enhanced business-to-business connectivity and improved capacity to meet the demand for goods in South East Asia.

On January 5, MDRI conducted a field survey among SMEs in Hung Yen province to identify their production capacity, development needs, and difficulties encountered in reaching customers. MDRI will use findings from the survey to identify 20 promising SMEs, which will receive further assistance to promote their products and services in order to connect and integrate them with domestic and international supply chains. This will also include helping to promote these firms at trade fairs and on business-to-business platforms currently managed by the private sector like www.vietnamesemade.com and www.made-in-vietnam.com.

So What? This work with SMEs builds on a variety of other private sector development work, including improving Doing Business indicators; trade facilitation; and provincial level business environment reform to help Vietnam achieve its vision of rapid economic growth and level the playing field for US firms.