(MPI Portal) – On December 05th, Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh had a meeting with Mr. Tunc Uyanik, Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific on Finance and Private Development from World Bank (WB).
World Bank in collaboration with the Government of Vietnam implemented the project "Innovation towards low-income people" to support SMEs to create products and services for the community, especially the poor and low-income people.
At the meeting, Mr. Tunc Uyanik said, the project would focus on the development of high-quality technology solutions, supporting SMEs in application of technology and innovation results, also promoting cooperation between stakeholders, especially between the business sector and universities, research institutes.
The project consists of four main components, as followed: developing innovative technologies; expanding and commercializing technological innovations; supporting for knowledge transfer and capacity building for the agencies involved in the implementation of innovation; managing, monitoring and evaluating project implementation.
Mr. Tunc Uyanik added that the project is expected to focus on a number of areas such as: traditional medicine; application of information technology; biotechnology application in agriculture, fisheries, etc.
Vietnam and the WB basically agreed on a lot of contents in the draft of feasibility study report, however there are some more issues that needed to be further discussed to come to conclusion before negotiation. The final study report on feasibility is expected to be approved on December 31st, 2012.
Mr. Tunc Uyanik also proposed to support the Ministry of Planning and Investment conduction of 5 year Development Plan for SMEs 2011-2015 ... Accordingly, Minister Bui Quang Vinh said that the Ministry of Planning and Investment would direct the involved units to discuss with WB specific supporting program in order to ensure successful implementation of the Plan. /.