Shopee, Vietnam’s iDEA launch initiative to help small businesses go regional

[SINGAPORE] E-commerce giant Shopee has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Vietnam e-commerce and digital economy agency (iDEA) to pilot a programme aimed at increasing export volumes from Vietnamese micro, small-and-medium enterprises (MSMEs) to the rest of South-east Asia.

The MOU, signed on Wednesday (Nov 26) at Shopee’s headquarters in Singapore, includes the launch of Shopee EZXports: Vietnam Everywhere.

It is a two-year initiative designed to support iDEA in diversifying export markets and accelerate digital transformation for Vietnamese businesses.

The partnership builds on the Singapore-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which aims to strengthen intra-Asean trade.

Representing Shopee, Jason Bay, Sea’s country head (Vietnam), said: “Shopee EZXports represents Shopee’s long-term commitment to partnering with Vietnam to boost e-commerce exports.”

He noted that Shopee has facilitated more than US$180 million of exports from Vietnam to date, and that the partnership contributes to the country’s goal of “building a digitally empowered, outward-looking economy”.

“It also supports Asean’s goal of boosting intra-region trade amidst an uncertain global backdrop,” he added.

The initiative focuses on three operational areas:

• Market access: The creation of a “Vietnam Pavilion” on the Shopee app, serving as a dedicated landing page for Vietnamese goods in regional markets
• Seller education: A commitment to train 2,000 Vietnamese MSMEs on cross-border operations and e-commerce skills
• Promotional events: The roll-out of regional campaigns, including a “Vietnam digital export week”, to drive brand visibility

The signing was witnessed by Vietnam’s Ambassador to Singapore Tran Phuoc Anh.

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“The embassy will continue to support collaborations between Vietnamese government agencies and Singapore-based digital platforms, investors and innovation partners,” he said.