The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a US$40 million loan to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam make a resilient recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic through the Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank).

Vietnam has seen sharp growth in the number of businesses run by women, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said.

Vietnam, however, remained the third highest ranking among low-middle income countries in the index, staying behind the Philippines [16th] and Indonesia [17th].

Leaders of some top businesses in Vietnam on October 22 signed the commitment to supporting the women’s empowerment principles (WEPs), an initiative of the UN Women and the UN Global Compact.