In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Nghi noted that by the end of 2018, Vietnam hosted about 3,000 projects invested by OVs in 45 cities and provinces, with total investment of nearly US$4 billion.
Statistics from the World Bank showed that in 2018, OVs sent home $15.9 billion, about 60 percent of which was poured into business and production, he said.
Nghi said that during the year, the country saw the return of a large number of intellectuals and scientists, especially young ones.
A number of activities were held to lure OVs’ engagement in business and research at home, including a forum to connect Vietnamese startups in June 2018, gathering a large number of startup firms at home and abroad.
An initiative on Vietnam innovative network was launched in the year with the participation of more than 100 young Vietnamese scientists around the world who gave many ideas and strategies for Vietnam to successfully build the development strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the future, he said.
About 250 initiatives and proposals were given at the first Vietnamese Young Intellectual Forum in Da Nang in November 2018. Meanwhile, more than 200 OVs from 23 countries and territories gathered at a conference in late 2018, contributing many ideas for localities to improve their investment and business environment, promoting their potentials in economy and tourism, stated Nghi. The event was followed with the signing of many cooperation agreements, he said, adding that an OV from Germany received a licence to build a $10 million factory in Ha Tinh province.
Nghi underscored that to further promote brainpower resources from the 4.5 million-strong Vietnamese community abroad, it is necessary to make changes in policy to attract expat scientists.
It is estimated that about 500,000 OVs are working in research institutes abroad, with 300 of them regularly cooperating with organizations and localities at home, he noted, pointing to the need to optimize their potential by creating a flexible environment for them to make more contributions.
Nghi said that in the coming time, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs will coordinate with the Vietnamese communities in different countries to seek proper measures to strengthen connectivity activities.
Meanwhile, the committee will support the Vietnamese associations abroad in line with local law, he said.
