A conference discussing how to help craft villages and businesses Hà Nội, heard how the city is committed to supporting them in all aspects of their work, from the planning rules to how they can better access raw materials locally.

Called a 'Dialogue to Overcome Difficulties and Promote Business Production for Enterprises, Cooperatives and Business Households Operating in Craft Villages in Hanoi in 2024' it was held at the headquarters of the Hà Nội People's Committee.

The conference, on July 5, was chaired by Comrade Trần Sỹ Thanh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee.

It was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Hanoi People's Committee, leaders of the city's departments and agencies, leaders of district and town people's committees, business associations and 136 representatives from enterprises, cooperatives and business households.

The conference discussed various issues such as planning, infrastructure, tourism and the environment of craft villages, support policies for craft villages, science and technology, trade promotions and branding and linking raw material regions to find practical solutions for the city's sectors and levels.

The preservation and development of craft villages is a key policy for the city of Hà Nội.

Under a plan from March 17, 2021, by the Party Committee for the 2021-2025 period, it states: " Promoting the development of rural industries and rural economy" is an important content in the economic development of the capital.

Currently the city has 1,350 craft villages and villages with crafts, of which 331 are recognised by the City People's Committee as craft villages, traditional crafts and traditional craft villages, encompassing 47 out of 52 traditional crafts nationwide, distributed across 25 districts, towns and communes.

A total of 269 villages are recognised as official Craft Villages, 59 villages as Traditional Craft Villages and three as Traditional Crafts.

The city currently has 745 out of 2,711 (27.48%) one-commune-one-product OCOP products from the villages, with revenue estimated to exceed VNĐ24 trillion (US$960 million), with a diverse products of beautiful designs and good quality, some having strong competitive advantages in both domestic and international markets.

The craft villages have been actively contributing to the restructuring and development of the rural economy, laying the groundwork for successfully implementing the OCOP program and the new rural construction program in the city.

Although the results are positive, the production and business activities of enterprises, cooperatives and small business households operating in craft villages still face many difficulties. The conference aims to provide information on the implementation status and solutions to promote investment attraction in preserving and developing craft villages, contributing to achieving the city's targets, promoting economic development and increasing income for people, especially in rural areas.

Hà Nội is committed to the business community and entrepreneurs of the capital and stated it will continue to implement solutions to support and resolve obstacles for them, in particular in terms of overcoming difficulties in administrative procedures, improving the business investment environment and implementing digital transformation in the government system to support enterprises. — VNS