Da Nang People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung presents a photograph of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival to Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz during a bilateral meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam, on June 19. (Da Nang News)
On June 19, Vice Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Hung hosted Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz for a bilateral meeting. Both sides are striving to forge a deeper partnership, particularly in sustainable development and green investment.
The city leader expressed his hope that Danish investors and businesses will continue to partner with Da Nang, especially in burgeoning areas such as environmental management and sustainable tourism
As the visit also coincided with the upcoming Vietnam-Denmark 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, an event themed “Da-Nang-Copenhagen: A Green Journey Along the Han River” was held from June 20 to 22.
The programme was co-organised by the Da Nang People’s Committee and the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam. The ceremony took place at Da Nang’s top architectural landmark, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Park.
In his opening remarks, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Tran Chi Cuong stated that Denmark is an “important partner” for Vietnam in “advancing sustainable development, green growth and energy transition”. He added that “cooperation with Danish partners has provided Da Nang with valuable experience in urban planning, environmental management and green infrastructure development”.
In response, Ambassador Nicolai Prytz emphasised that he remains confident regarding bilateral relations given the structural similarities shared by both dynamic coastal port cities. He highlighted that the relationship holds immense potential to grow through “green transformation, sustainable urban development, innovation and stronger people-to-people connections”.
What does this mean for business?
The intensifying cooperation between Da Nang and Denmark signals a profound shift in Central Vietnam’s commercial landscape, offering both lucrative opportunities and distinct structural advantages for regional enterprises. As Da Nang aggressively transitions into a smart, eco-friendly municipality, it provides a fertile testing ground for sustainable technologies, backed by a robust foundation of over 135 Danish firms operating nationwide. Danish multinational giants like Carlsberg and APM Terminals are already spearheading regional green infrastructure and circular economy initiatives, establishing Denmark as the standard for clean energy and smart logistics. Crucially, adopting Danish Environmental, Social and Government (ESG) practices allows Vietnamese firms to satisfy strict European corporate mandates, unlocking premium EU green funds and institutional capital that might otherwise bypass the region.
Nevertheless, capitalising on these sophisticated, green-tech opportunities will expose a critical macroeconomic bottleneck regarding Vietnam’s evolving labour market. The nation’s historical reliance on low-cost, low-skilled labor is rapidly becoming incompatible with high-tech sustainable development. To successfully implement advanced port automation, circular manufacturing and green grids, the domestic market must urgently shift toward a highly technical, specialised talent pool. Consequently, businesses operating in this space will face an immediate mandate to invest heavily in corporate training and upskilling, transforming the local workforce to meet the stringent, high-value technical demands of the modern global green economy.
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Kala Advisory helps investors turn openings like these into targeted, country-by-country entry plans across Southeast Asia. Visit kala-advisory.com.
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