Nghe An ranks 8th out of 34 provinces nationwide in the FTA index.

Attending the announcement ceremony were Politburo member and Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc; Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan; representatives of leaders from ministries, departments, and agencies; leaders of the People's Committees of 34 provinces and cities; representatives of industry associations and businesses; embassies; and many international organizations in Vietnam.

Comrade Pham Van Hoa – Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, representing Nghe An province, received the FTA Index 2025 Certificate of Merit.

Since joining the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1996, Vietnam has participated in and implemented 17 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) at both bilateral and multilateral levels, thereby establishing free trade relations with many leading trading partners around the world.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been developing and finalizing the Free Trade Agreement Implementation Performance Index (FTA Index) for 2025. The FTA Index is a comprehensive and systematic mechanism for evaluating the implementation of FTAs, aiming to provide crucial information to government agencies, businesses, foreign investors, industry associations, etc., for research and investment planning in Vietnam.

The FTA Index is a quantitative, objective, and comprehensive assessment tool for evaluating the status and level of implementation of FTAs ​​in 34 provinces and cities nationwide.

With the support of the central government and the efforts of the province and the business community, Nghe An's export activities have achieved positive results in recent years. In 2025, the province's export turnover is expected to reach US$4.67 billion, an increase of 47.1% compared to 2024; Nghe An goods are present in more than 170 countries and territories. In the first seven months of 2026, export turnover is expected to reach approximately US$3.75 billion, an increase of 54.8% compared to the same period.

The awarding of a Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Industry and Trade to the People's Committee of Nghe An province at the FTA Index 2025 announcement ceremony is a valuable recognition of the province's efforts; it also highlights the need to continue improving the quality of FTA implementation in a way that is increasingly substantive, effective, and closely aligned with the needs of businesses, thereby contributing to market expansion and promoting sustainable exports.

Mr. Pham Van Hoa, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, shared: Previously, in 2024, when the FTA Index was first published, Nghe An achieved 24.03 points, ranking 33rd out of 63 provinces and cities. This result shows that the province's implementation and support for businesses to utilize FTAs ​​still have much room for improvement. Immediately after the assessment results, Nghe An clearly determined: Not chasing rankings, but looking at each component index to correctly identify limitations, changing the way FTAs ​​are implemented, and focusing on businesses and the effectiveness of utilizing FTAs. And today, according to the FTA Index results for 2025 announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Nghe An has risen to the 8th position out of 34 provinces and cities.

This is a noteworthy step forward, but what Nghe An is more concerned about is not just the ranking, but the substantive changes behind that number: What have we achieved, where are the obstacles, and what more needs to be done so that businesses can truly better utilize the FTAs?

“This result is a recognition of the efforts, initiative, and positive changes of Nghe An province in implementing, executing, and effectively utilizing FTAs, and also shows that the province's ranking has improved significantly. This is a source of joy and motivation for the collective of agencies, units, and the business community in the province to continue improving the effectiveness of FTA implementation, supporting businesses in expanding markets and promoting exports,” Mr. Pham Van Hoa shared.

Thu Huyen