Mr. Ayumi Konishi, Director of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Vietnam said with the estimated population of 100 million people in 2020, of which 60% of the population at working age and this ratio will continue to extend for 30 years, Vietnam has a big advantage in economic development.

Reporting at the panel discussion of Mr A. Konishi was giving audience an overview on the situation and positive economic development in Vietnam, in which highlighting the potential direction of Vietnam economic development in 2006-2010, vision to 2020; the impact of the world financial-economy crisis to Vietnam and the lessons drawn from this crisis.

Mr. Konishi also mentioned opportunities and challenges in economic development in Vietnam the upcoming years, opportunities and challenges for foreign investors in Vietnam, etc.

In addition, the Director of ADB in Vietnam also said that problems such as shortage of quality human resources, limit on the development of infrastructure, transport, activities of financial intermediaries is not effective, difficulty objective of becoming an average income nation, etc. will be challenges in the economic development of Vietnam in the future.

Besides the main theme of economic development in Vietnam, two other topics raised by Mr. Konishi at the panel discussion is about the general operation of ADB, ADB Vietnam and ADB Europe in particular ADB’s relationship with organizations of Germany in Vietnam and the world.

Having been working in Vietnam for decades, the ADB is one of the largest ODA sponsor to Vietnam.
At the Consultative Group Meeting for Vietnam donors held in late 2009, ADB has committed to spend $ 2 billion USD of ODA for Vietnam.