International experts gathered at the Autumn Economic Forum 2026 to discuss how Vietnam can sustain growth and move toward a high‑income status. Their recommendations are useful for anyone interested in the country’s economic future.

Fazurin Jamaludin, the IMF resident representative in Vietnam and Laos, said that improving productivity and using public investment efficiently are essential for Vietnam’s high‑income goal. He warned that shortcomings in the public investment framework could become an obstacle. He also noted that uneven allocation of resources and credit among businesses hampers total factor productivity.

Weichuan Xu, a representative of the International Finance Corporation, highlighted that bank lending rates of 13‑15 percent create a major challenge for firms that want to invest. He said lowering these financing costs is crucial for the economy’s progress.

Mariam J. Sherman, World Bank division director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, warned that Vietnam’s traditional growth drivers are reaching their limits and a shift to higher‑value activities is needed. She pointed out that a manufacturing worker generates about US$6.7 of value added per hour, while roughly 85 percent of export‑sector jobs stay in low‑value assembly. This underscores the need for technology upgrades and better skills.

The skills gap is widening: the share of exporting businesses reporting shortages of appropriately trained workers rose from 5 percent in 2009 to 20 percent in 2023, according to Sherman. Closing this gap will require training that matches market demand, especially in engineering and digital technology.