P4G Takes Root in Vietnam and South Korea

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P4G Global Director Ian de Cruz and P4G Engagement and Strategy Director Leila Surratt visited Vietnam and South Korea—two P4G partner countries—last month to meet with Initiative partners and unearth possibilities for continued collaboration.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Danish embassies in each partner country and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) worked alongside P4G to facilitate high-level meetings and build understanding of how P4G can support both countries with their national priorities. Their support allowed P4G and leaders from Vietnam and South Korea to accelerate ideas and plans for action.

P4G’s presence in Vietnam was emboldened by an engaged and committed network of business and government leaders looking to attract private sector investment to accelerate the country’s transition to an emerging green growth economy. As a booming manufacturing economy and an international supplier of staples like coffee and pepper, Vietnam has the potential to set a global example of how to reshape flourishing markets in a greener, more sustainable vision.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) sees ample opportunity for Vietnamese collaboration with P4G to implement new market strategies that have the potential to become regional and potentially international models.

“Among the 17 SDGs, the final goal is to ‘revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.’ Accordingly, I highly appreciate how the P4G Initiative will help foster multi-stakeholder collaboration across the world and in Vietnam particularly, thus accelerating our journey to a sustainably transformed world. Without a doubt, P4G will also take a central role in guiding the global business community towards realizing its initiatives towards green growth.”

P4G Global Director Ian de Cruz remarked, “P4G is excited to support and help accelerate the transformation already occurring in Vietnam; for example, in collaboration with Vietnam's Centre for Excellence on the Circular Economy.”

South Korea has a well-established reputation as a global leader and pioneer in the area of green growth as illustrated by the Korean-Denmark Green Growth Alliance that is now in its eighth year. With P4G, leaders in Korea have already begun discussions on how to boldly experiment towards the future with innovative examples of how to implement a global green growth economy.

Dr. Kwon Sei-joong, Director-General of the Director-General of the Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Scientific Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized Korea’s strong interest in heralding the next phase of international innovation towards green growth.

“P4G will be very helpful in identifying ways in which Korea can support and innovate around the international agenda of green growth. We look forward to working with P4G and building on the excellent collaboration we have with the Danish Government on this agenda,” said Kwon.