Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced today it has provided grant funding for technical assistance to fundamentally transform the ways Ho Chi Minh City manages its daily operations through advanced data analytics.
“Ho Chi Minh City has an ambitious smart cities agenda, and USTDA is an ideal partner to support its goals,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA Chief Operating Officer, Head of Agency. “Our partnership will help the City deploy cutting-edge ICT technologies and advanced data analytics that innovative U.S. companies are ready to supply.”
USTDA’s funding will help the City develop implementation plans for an Intelligent Operations Center, a smart cities priority that will aggregate real-time urban data onto an intuitive dashboard platform that can be leveraged by local leaders. Through the use of these smart technologies and the application of advanced data analytics, Ho Chi Minh City can enhance service delivery to its rapidly growing population and advance new economic development. Virginia-based Winbourne Consulting, LLC, will execute the assistance on behalf of USTDA’s grantee, Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Information and Communications.
“This is a watershed moment for Vietnam and U.S. business to drive new partnerships, expand new opportunities and engage the critical sectors in Vietnam. With the United States as a partner, Vietnam has the potential to leapfrog into a modern, digitally enabled economy, advancing beyond other countries in the region,” said Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.
Le Quoc Cuong, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Information and Communications, added, “The signing of this grant agreement for the technical assistance to develop the Intelligent Operations Center for Ho Chi Minh City is the most concrete evidence for the strong development of the comprehensive partnership in smart cities between Ho Chi Minh City and the United States.”
USTDA’s support of this project aligns with key digital economy priorities of the Administration including the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership and the U.S.-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
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