“Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, and Estonian companies have a clear interest in the opportunities it offers. Our aim is to strengthen economic ties and create better conditions for Estonian businesses to operate in Vietnam and more broadly in the region,” said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. The current visit follows the Vietnamese prime minister’s visit to Estonia last summer, during which several Estonian companies established contacts that can now be developed into cooperation.
According to the foreign minister, the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement provides a strong foundation for cooperation. “Our business delegation brings together companies from a wide range of sectors, all of which are looking for new markets, including further afield. This in turn helps Estonia diversify its trade relations,” the minister said, adding that Estonia has smart and competitive solutions to offer.
For Hekotek, a mechanical engineering company in the delegation, Vietnam is not an unfamiliar market. “We have supplied a pellet plant to a Japanese company operating in Vietnam, which remains the largest in the country and certainly one of the safest,” said the company’s CEO, Margo Muzakko. According to him, wood pellet production in the region is clearly on the rise, and Hekotek aims to be part of this development.
In addition to Vietnam, the company is interested in the Southeast Asian market more broadly. “If this type of visit proves to be an effective way of establishing new contacts, we will consider participating in similar visits in the future. In any case, we look forward to substantive meetings, new contacts and potential cooperation opportunities,” Muzakko added.
The delegation also includes Lendurai, an Estonian company developing autonomous drone solutions. “We have not previously operated in this region, but we see it as a promising market for our products,” said Ramil Lipp, the company’s Head of Business Development.
According to him, the company’s aim is to establish contacts that could lead to contracts and generate future business. “We are looking both for end-users and potential partners for future cooperation,” Lipp explained, adding that such visits create good opportunities for further business activity.
The programme includes an Estonia–Vietnam business seminar, meetings with regional honorary consuls and various business meetings.
In addition to Hekotek and Lendurai, the delegation includes Scandinavian Exports, 5.0 Robotics, Dipperfox, Zero Terrain, A. Le Coq, NV Trade, Andres Glass Solutions, Omniva, Saku Õlletehas, as well as the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Estonian Business School.
During the visit, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna will also meet Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang. He will also meet Estonia’s honorary consuls in the Asia region.
