On 11 December in Ho Chi Minh City, the Viet Nam Industrial Parks Forum 2025 (IP FORUM 2025) took place under the theme “Promoting Industrial Park Investment in the New Era”. The event brought together over 100 leaders from central ministries and government agencies, representative of provinces and cities, industrial park and economic zone developers nationwide, the business community and international organizations. The forum was held as Viet Nam steps into a new phase of development following administrative boundary restructuring and industrial expansion, while at the same time facing the urgent need to shift its growth model towards green and sustainable development to enhance investment quality and national competitiveness.

Discussions at the forum focused on the development orientation of next generation industrial parks, promoting smart manufacturing, linking industrial growth with circular economy objectives, sustainable development, and compliance with international environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. The forum also underlined the importance of economic diplomacy, stronger supply-chain integration, attraction of high-value projects, and establishing a renewed value system for Viet Nam’s industrial park ecosystem in the coming period. Within this context, international experience and technical assistance play an essential role, including contributions from UNIDO through its Eco-Industrial Parks Programme.

Speaking at the forum, Ms Nguyen Tram Anh, National Project Manager of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP Viet Nam), UNIDO emphasized that the transition to Eco-Industrial Parks is not a trend, but an inevitable requirement in today’s industrialization process. Over past decades, industrial parks have significantly contributed to economic growth, job creating and export performance. However, the traditional industrial park model has also revealed limitations, placing increasing pressure on nature resources and the environment, and posing challenges to sustainable development objectives.

Recognizing these challenges, the implementation of the Eco-Industrial Park model is regarded as a strategic solution to balance industrial growth with environmental protection and improved social well-being. The Eco-Industrial Park model aims to enhance industrial park management efficiency, optimize resource use, minimize environment impacts, improve working conditions and generate positive contributions to local economies.

Ms Nguyen Tram Anh highlighted that Viet Nam now has a relatively comprehensive legal foundation for advancing Eco-Industrial Parks, particularly Decree No. 35/2022/NĐ-CP and Circular No. 05/2025/TT-BKHĐT, which clearly define criteria and procedures for Eco-Industrial Park recognition. Along with this, Viet Nam is receiving practical support from the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme implemented by UNIDO, funded by the Government of Switzerland through SECO, to help industrial parks transition towards Eco-Industrial Parks in line with national requirements and the International Framework for Eco-Industrial Parks. These create highly favorable conditions for Viet Nam to accelerate this transition, gradually shaping greener, smarter and more competitive industrial parks that also meet social responsibility requirements.

IP FORUM 2025 is an annual event that gathers leaders of industrial parks, government authorities, international organizations, industry associations, investor, experts, academics and investment promotion agencies from both Viet Nam and abroad.