Hanoi (VNA) – A meeting was held in Hanoi on December 8 tointroduce cooperation opportunities between Vietnam’s small- and medium-sizeenterprises (SMEs) and PUM Netherlands senior experts - a volunteerorganisation committed to the sustainable development of SMEs in developingcountries and emerging markets.

The event, organisedon the occasion of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam andthe Netherlands, aimed to intensify people-to-people exchanges, thus opening upnew cooperation opportunities for both countries’ enterprises.

Chairing the meeting,Vice President of the Vietnam - Netherlands Friendship and CooperationAssociation (VNFCA) Dinh Thi Minh Nguyet, who is also former Ambassador to theNetherlands in the 2002-2006 tenure, said that the bilateral relationship hasbeen developing well in numerous fields such as climate change response, watermanagement, agriculture, sea-based economy, and logistics.

The event offered achance for Vietnamese SMEs to learn about PUM and gain access to seniorexperts’ knowledge and consultancy so as to serve their business activities andhave cooperation orientations with Dutch enterprises, Nguyet added.

According to ChiefRepresentative of PUM in Vietnam Tran Quoc Long, PUM currently has 150representative offices in more than 30 countries.

Its experts work in 50aspects, with those in Vietnam concentrating on vocational training,agriculture, start-up and tourism. With nearly 30 years operating in Vietnam,the organisation has provided assistance for about 100 small projects eachyear.

PUM has also sentexperts to Vietnam to help the country implement new projects sustainably.

The organisation hasbeen present in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, the central city of Da Nang, theCentral Highlands city of Da Lat, the Mekong Delta and adjacent areas.-VNA