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There is currently a lot of interest in renewables, in Vietnam, and in particular Solar energy projects. There have been over 70 licenses issued recently for solar energy projects and many of these are in Ninh Thuan Province, where there are over 140 projects licensed.. The interest has been generated by the Feed in tariff incentive granted by the Vietnamese Government approved some time ago setting a tariff of US$ 9.35 cents per KWH for those projects operational by June 2019, with a 20 year term.

Explore the opportunities to trade beyond domestic markets and identify current and future trends.

Explore the opportunities to trade beyond domestic markets and identify current and future trends.

The Government has just approved a new decree 63/2018/ND-CP which will come into effect in June 2018, governing PPP projects. The expectations are that the new decree which replaces Decree15/2015 ND-CP will have a positive effect on PPP and BOT projects. This will also be a forerunner on a new law on PPP to be submitted to the National Assembly in November 2019 for approval in May 2020.

Deals or no deals? What next for Private Equity in the mid-market?

Danang has been one of the most successful cities in Vietnam, in developing and growing a tourism industry and is looking at how to successfully develop the City from now to 2035. Tourism currently contributes 23% of GDP and in the first quarter of 2018 Danang has seen its foreign visitor arrivals increase 69% yoy.

Vietnam is on a journey and there will continue to be humps and bumps in the road, but today Vietnam is on almost everyone’s radar screen and if it isn’t you should be asking why.

Grant Thornton is conducting its 2018 survey on the investment outlook of the private equity sector. The survey is aimed at decision makers involved in investment activities such as corporates, advisory firms and private equity houses in addition to academics and experts across various sectors of the economy. This is the 17th consecutive private equity survey Grant Thornton has carried out on an annual basis.

Whilst the Government continues with its policy of enabling the business environment with a reduction in bureaucracy and the number of licenses and approvals the economy has overall shown some really great results.

Asia Pacific is a vast and diverse region, and one of the strongest performing parts of the global economy.

After months and years of discussion and deliberation Vietnam has finally published circular 102/2017/TT-BC, which will help guide the implementation of Decree 3/2017/ND-CP which was passed earlier in 2017. The big game changer is the fact that Vietnamese citizens will be able to enter casinos from December 2017, which up until now have been restricted to foreigners. The debate has really between balancing the communist ideals and the pragmatism of recognizing the significant tax revenue lost every year to neighboring countries and in particular Cambodia.

Vietnam will transition from paper invoices to electronic invoices, if the proposal from Ministry of Finance is accepted, from the beginning of 2018. This is effectively in less than 5 months’ time.

Last week I attended the annual M & A conference organized by VIR, which was opened by the Minister of MPI Nguyen Chi Dung who commented on the need for businesses to improve efficiency and competitiveness and for the Government to improve the regulatory environment.

On July 31st I was invited to attend the 2nd Vietnam Private Sector Forum, which facilitates dialogue between the Vietnamese Private Sector and Government and encourages a bottom up approach from grassroots business. The Forum sponsored by the Australian Government and the Asian Development Bank was chaired by the Prime Minister Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Starting August 2017 Vietnam will have a derivatives market with four kinds of products: Futures; Options; Swaps; and Forwards and they can be traded both on the OTC or the main exchange. However according to the State Securities Commission there is a move to merge the two exchanges . Originally, it was anticipated that this new market would commence trading in May or June 2017.

This was the title of the Vietnam Business Forum, which I attended last Friday, in Hanoi. Participants included HE Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment (“MPI”) Dang Huy Dong, World Bank Country Director Mr Ousmane Dione, IFC and other Government departments, Embassies, Business Groups and others.