Vietnam’s Path to Stronger Export Promotion System: Insights from SIPPO Vietnam

Better Services and Market Access 

Working with Vietrade (Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency) and Viet Nam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), SIPPO has improved participation at major trade fairs such as SIAL, Anuga, and Biofach, supported the development of VIPO (Vietnam International Pepper and Spice Outlook) into an international platform for the spice sector, and facilitated study visits to explore niche organic markets: 

“Our team, supported by SIPPO Consultants, contributed technical input to help enhance the organization of the international conference. This collaboration brought valuable market trends, export forecasts, and technical knowledge to the stage, enabling VIPO to strengthen its position as an annual platform for the sector.”." -Do Phuong Linh  (Export Promotion Manager) 

In the wood sector, SIPPO has supported HAWA (Handicraft & Wood Industry Association of HCMC), DOWA (Dong Nai Wood Association), BIFA (Binh Duong Wood Association), and FPA (Binh Dinh Forest Products Association) in showcasing innovation. For example, the Technical Wood Arch displayed at the HAWA Expo 2023 and DOWA’s debut participation at Interzum 2025 highlight this collaborative effort. 

Stronger Institutions and Strategy 

SIPPO Vietnam has served as the technical advisor for the annual Vietnam Export Forum, a flagship event organized by Vietrade and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to guide national export strategies. This collaboration has helped Vietrade reinforce its role as the leading agency for export promotion in Vietnam. Through various training sessions and on-the-job support, SIPPO has guided VPSA, VOAA (Viet Nam Organic Agriculture Association), and CRED (Center of Rural Economic Development) to expand their service portfolios. The team has helped VPSA recognize the need for sustainable market development that they own and actively steer. VPSA’s upcoming Export Promotion and Positioning Strategy is co-developed with SIPPO and marks a major step toward sustainable, self-driven trade promotion. 

Building Networks and Fostering Collaboration 

SIPPO Vietnam leverages international trade fairs, study visits, and online events to connect Vietnamese BSOs with their counterparts abroad, including ProColombia, PromPeru, and Lignum Switzerland. These engagements foster network expansion, knowledge exchange, and peer learning. In 2024, Vietrade and VPSA participated in the SIPPO Import Forum, enabling them to engage with hundreds of buyers and BSOs from SIPPO’s global network. 

SIPPO Vietnam also adopted SECO’s initiative to establish the SECO Trade-Related Working Group in 2022, addressing a wide range of topics such as sustainability, digitalization, innovation in trade, and public dialogue. The active working group aims to strengthen coordination and maximize synergies among Swiss-funded projects in Vietnam. 

Driving Sustainability and Digitalization 

Throughout this current phase, sustainability and digitalization were core crosscutting themes across all SIPPO Vietnam trade promotion activities. In partnership with SECO, government counterparts, BSOs, and enterprises, SIPPO has promoted sustainable business practices and supported digital transformation. Key achievements include facilitating exchanges with Swiss companies (Nestlè, Buhler, On Shoes) on sustainability, showcasing Swiss innovations at the Green Economic Forum, raising industry awareness on EU GHG reporting requirements, and introducing new concepts such as embodied carbon and mass timber in the wood sector. 

SIPPO Vietnam supported the development of VPSA’s Pepper and Spice E-Map to enhance connections between exporters and importers and improve transparency. It also assisted BSOs in adopting digital tools such as Vietrade’s online TPCI, which helps assess institutional capacity gaps within the trade promotion system under Vietrade’s umbrella 

As SIPPO Vietnam enters its next and final phase (2026-2028), the team is ready to build on this momentum and continue to enable Vietnamese BSOs to thrive in a rapidly evolving global market.