Vietnam’s business community has been hit hard by COVID-19. Supply chains have been disrupted and many businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and businesses dependent on exports, are suffering from revenue loss, suspension of operations, and staff cutbacks. On July 24, the USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises (USAID LinkSME) project and MPI organized a conference on “Supporting Vietnamese Enterprises to Develop Sustainable Value Chains” in Hanoi, which was co-chaired by the Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dzung and USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Michael Greene. Nearly 400 participants learned about lead firms’ expectations and requirements; and discussed how enterprises can become more resilient to sudden changes in supply chains, actively seize new market opportunities, and enhance production capability.

So What? Understanding the needs of lead firms in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic helps Vietnamese SMEs create new and sustainable value chains insulated from supply chain capture efforts of malign actors, and promotes Vietnam’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts and Journey to Self-Reliance.