The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV) on April 7 held a forum to discuss cooperation in development of sustainable urban areas.
The event attracted the participation of various diplomats, along with hundreds of representatives from management agencies and domestic and foreign businesses.
Participants at the event. Photo: hochiminhcity.gov.vn
The discussion focused on urban construction and development ecosystem, thereby promoting knowledge sharing, fostering innovation, and expanding strategic partnerships.
Key topics included urban development, green energy and materials, infrastructure, transport, and logistics. In addition, they also discussed the construction of future seaports, sustainability and human-centred architecture, and waterproofing solutions.
French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet emphasised that the construction sector plays a crucial role in the fight against climate change, accounting for a large proportion of global emissions and having significant economic importance, contributing 11 per cent of global GDP and 7 per cent of global employment.
The ambassador also stated that the transition to sustainable cities requires the participation of many stakeholders, from the government and businesses to research organisations and investors, and international cooperation. Vietnam and France are currently both members of the Global Alliance for Building and Construction to reduce carbon emissions in this sector.
French Ambassador to Vietnam, Olivier Brochet. Photo: hochiminhcity.gov.vn
CCIFV chairman Thibaut Giroux stated that, amidst a volatile world, the global supply chain being reshaped, and a constantly shifting geopolitical balance, Vietnam continues to emerge as a bright spot. In the fields of construction, energy, and materials, France’s strengths also perfectly align with Vietnam’s development orientation, according to Giroux.
According to Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha, the city is one of the leading localities in the country in cooperation with France, with bilateral trade turnover reaching over $723 million in 2025 and 433 French projects totalling over $2.2 billion.
Ha stated that this annual conference provided a comprehensive and strategic overview of urban development, in line with the spirit that Ho Chi Minh City is pursuing: development through integrated, interdisciplinary, interregional thinking, and multi-stakeholder cooperation.
Ho Chi Minh City is currently focusing on finalising a draft law on urban development and a master plan for the metropolis. These are two levers for the city to shift from an implementation mindset to proactively creating policies, building a superior institutional foundation, and opening up new development spaces, Ha added.
Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha made a speech. Photo: hochiminhcity.gov.vn
The city is also promoting a green transition with many very specific goals. The city has issued an action plan for air pollution control for 2026-2030, which aims to ensure that all public transport vehicles use clean energy, while also aiming to control all major sources of emissions, promote the greening of construction, and use energy more efficiently.
Ho Chi Minh City identifies breakthroughs in transportation and logistics infrastructure as one of the prerequisites for expanding development space and enhancing competitiveness in the global supply chain.
Ha believes that with the increasingly strong foundation of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and France, and with the active support of the Embassy, Consulate General, CCIFV, and the French business community, the discussions will be concretised into more practical initiatives, projects, and cooperative relationships.
Decree opens incentives for green urban development
New regulations are set to unlock financial and land-related incentives for projects that meet green growth standards in urban development.
Italian Design Day 2026: a contemporary architecture and urban development dialogue
Italian Design Day 2026 took place in Ho Chi Minh City in early March under the theme “RE-DESIGN. Regenerating Spaces, Objects, Ideas, Relations.”
Vietnam and EU seek to strengthen ties in transport infrastructure and urban development
Vietnam and the EU will enhance cooperation in transport infrastructure and sustainable urban development in the future, a meeting has heard.
