In the Opening speech,  HE. Vo Van Hoan - Vice Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee embraced the ideas of VIAC and ITPC being materialized into actions to support legal matters and enhance investment attraction in the city. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on implementing many policies following the Central Government's direction on developing the Southeast region and Ho Chi Minh City, especially Resolution No. 98 effective from August 1, 2023. Resolution No. 98 has been designed with many specific policies for the City, closely related to the Investment Management, Financial Budget Management, Land Management groups to attract strategic investors. However, in the recent process, from the perspective of the City Government centering on solving infrastructure development, economic and social development as well as supporting Investors, HE. Vo Van Hoan realized that the investment environment in the city still needs to be improved so that investors can properly conduct investment and activities. Therefore, a direct dialogue platform, not only between investors but also between investors and the Government, needs to be carried out to promote transparency and openness about information mechanisms, processing mechanisms, as well as listening and receiving the difficulties and obstacles for timely resolution.

Continuing the opening speech, Dr. Vu Tien Loc - Member of National Assembly of Vietnam, President and Chairman of Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) made some comments on the current investment environment and the role of foreign investment capital in our country's integration process. In Ho Chi Minh City, attracting investment and improving the investment environment are considered the focus of the city government. The Resolution No. 98 approval on special mechanisms is seen as a necessary legal tool for Ho Chi Minh City to promote its dynamism towards the ultimate goal of promoting the city's sustainable economic position. Dr. Vu Tien Loc also evaluated that, as the head of an organization specializing in legal coordination and dispute resolution, the application of legal regulations is one of the key factors contributing to the growth of investment activities. This is also the basis for Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) and Investment & Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) to establish an annual Investment Legal Support Forum, with the expectation of providing a close discussion platform between the investor community, especially foreign investors, and the government, as well as receiving professional opinions and legal recommendations from experts, contributing to providing solutions for local authorities to support businesses. The synergy of agencies, associations, and legal support units is an important factor in making the Forum the "key" to investors' difficulties. With the context of newky-apprived Resolution No. 98, the Investment Legal Support Forum is expected to be a starting point for building an effective tool for Ho Chi Minh City in creating a safe and efficient legal investment environment.

With many years of experience in the Investment and trade promotion in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Cao Thi Phi Van - Deputy Director of Investment & Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City, representing two organizing units, emphasized the importance of having a forum where investors who are interested and operating in Ho Chi Minh City can directly gather, and receive support. At the Investment Legal Support Forum 2023, Ms. Van shared about the Forum model, which inherits the strengths of previous programs and supplements many new initiatives to promote the strengths and create synergies from the Forum's participants in improving the investment environment in the legal field in the City. At the same time, the Forum marks a milestone for the cooperation between ITPC and VIAC, opening up a new promising phase from a dynamic, creative, and enthusiastic team. Regarding the model, the Investment Legal Support Forum (ILS Forum) focuses on two main contents: (i) Gathering opinions of domestic and foreign investor groups in Ho Chi Minh City and (ii) Providing short-term or long-term legal responses and solution suggestions of experts from competent agencies, legal consulting organizations, as well as legal experts.

REPORTS

Resolution No. 98 and new legal issues impacting on investment activities

As an opening for the annual Investment Legal Support Forum, the Investment Legal Support Forum 2023 with the topic "Open up golden opportunities for investors in Ho Chi Minh City under the context of the Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15" will focus on discussing new points, changes that arise when applying this Resolution. In particular, two major contents will be discussed at the Forum including: on exploiting new points, changes set out in the Resolution related to two major issues: (i) Investment in the form of Public - Private Partnership (PPP); (ii) Attracting strategic investors for "green" projects. The forum is implemented through the form of listening to professional reports and discussing between two groups: representatives of investors and legal experts.

At the forum, Dr. Tran Du Lich - Head of the Advisory Council for Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15, Vice President of Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) gave a general assessment of the implementation of Resolution No. 98 and the impacts that this Resolution brings. According to Mr. Lich, this Resolution is an effective legal tool for eliminating two bottlenecks that have hindered the city’s development for a long time: institutions and infrastructure This is the first time the city has adopted a resolution with many breakthrough contents, paving the way for numerous reform plans. Mr. Lich evaluated that many specific policies have been effective after 4 months of Ho Chi Minh City implementing the Resolution. However, for the Resolution to truly come to life and fully play its expected role, models like the Investment Legal Support Forum are extremely necessary. They play an effective bridging role between the investor community - consulting units, legal support, and competent state agencies.

Following the forum, Mr. Pham Trung Kien - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning & Investment presented a professional report with the theme "Investment in the form of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under the context of implementing the Resolution No. 98 - Opportunities and challenges to Ho Chi Minh City and Investors”. Currently, the state has issued the PPP Law and some other legal documents regulating this form of investment activity. In Ho Chi Minh City, the application of Resolution No. 98 serves as an important legal basis, creating conditions for the city to be proactive in selecting, calling, and deploying feasible PPP projects. According to Mr. Kien' s assessment, the implementation of PPP projects in reality still faces many difficulties and obstacle; although the legal regulations in this field are constantly being supplemented, they still cannot keep up with reality. In addition, both the state side and the private sector are still confused in choosing, determining the type of contract (BOT, BTO, BLT, BTL, BOO, O&M, BT) that is suitable for each field and the nature of the project. Thus, it can be recognized that, the lack of specific guidelines and explicit stipulations in the law and legal documents makes both state agencies and investors extremely confused when participating in PPP contracts.

Next, Mr. Do Van Su - Deputy Director of the Foreign Investment Department, Ministry of Planning and Investment, presented to the Forum a professional report related to the issue of attracting strategic investors to green projects. According to Mr. Su's assessment, Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular are entering an opportunity to receive investment shifts from many countries in the world. However, to benefit from this opportunity, we need to have a clear strategy and plan, as well as be ready to meet the requirements of investors, especially those related to the green economy and circular economy.  Accordingly, to aim for net zero emissions by 2050 - an essential development goal of the world, we need to quickly adapt to many concepts, industries that are still quite new. Currently, the legal framework related to issues of the green economy and circular economy, which involves a lot of energy and emissions, has not been specifically regulated. In addition, many state policies are not really attractive to investors. Therefore, we need to quickly learn, draft, and issue laws and decrees related to helping investors have a basis and confidence to confidently implement projects.