Ho Chi Minh City, December 6, 2021
Dear valued Members,
The year-end of 2021 is approaching and on behalf of the GBA Board I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the German Business Association, to our events and activities throughout the year. With regards to the current situation, we hope you, your colleagues and your families are safe and healthy.
Starting into 2021, we have been highly motivated and full of energy with 3 top priorities for our work this year: Strengthen business focus of existing events and create new formats with industry specific topics, establish and maintain good relationships with local authorities and stakeholders and enable active participation of members to enlarge exposure and exchange of information.
Those plans got partly disrupted when the fourth wave of Covid-19 started in Ho Chi Minh City with a rapidly growing number of infections. We have immediately switched our priorities to adapt to the new situation and to support our members efficiently in the crisis.
The development of the novel Coronavirus has hit many of our businesses hard. During that time, we received several messages from our members, sharing their information, viewpoints, feedback and difficulties caused by the pandemic such as the effects of the strict regulations from the local authorities which caused massive problems for businesses, the acceleration of the domestic Covid-19 vaccination program or the issue of work permits for foreigners and so forth. To lobby for these topics, we had many meetings with the government, conducted surveys and wrote newspaper and media press releases as well as send letters directly to the relevant authorities.
The primary concern of our members was vaccine coverage to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The GBA board has immediately appointed an internal taskforce to push forward initiatives to enable the import and distribution of vaccinations for foreign workers and our members living in Vietnam. After many high-level meetings and negotiations, on the September 26, 2021, a shipment of 2.6 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses, gifted by the German government, arrived in Vietnam. Out of these 2.6 million AZ vaccine doses, the German government approved a batch of 100,000 AZ vaccines to support Germans and German companies in Vietnam. On the October 29, 2021, in HCMC, Hanoi and Nam Dinh, the German General Consulate, the AHK Vietnam and the GBA started an inoculation campaign of AZ vaccines for the German business community, including investors, entrepreneurs, experts, local employees and their relatives in Vietnam. Other cities and provinces started the inoculation campaign one week later. We would like to sincerely thank the German Embassy, the German General Consulate and the AHK Vietnam for their great cooperation and support to make this possible. Especially, a big thanks to all GBA members who signed our letter of appeal to the German Government to seek their support by sending surplus vaccines to Vietnam. Together with the first delivery of vaccines from Germany to Vietnam via the COVAX facility, this latest batch drove up German donations to 3.45 million doses, making Germany one of the biggest vaccine donors to Vietnam.
As additional activity to fight against the pandemic, GBA, in collaboration with the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association Ho Chi Minh City (VGFA), started the Donation campaign “Direct help in Challenging times” to support the less privileged people of HCMC and front-line hospitals. Thanks to the great support of our members, friends and the ward authorities, we supplied for 3,700 households in 37 wards with food and other essentials. Besides the cash donations of around 800,000,000 Vietnamese Dong, several members from both associations donated medical equipment to front-line hospitals. This support was very meaningful during the stringent lockdown in HCMC, which had a heavy impact on the private lives and business activities of many people in those areas. We would like to thank the VGFA for their great coordination.
On behalf of the GBA Board, we would like to express our gratitude to all our 340 members – for staying with us and joining us this year despite those obstacles. A special thank you to our corporate partners: Alma Resort, Deutsche Bank, Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City, Festo, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, Rieckermann Vietnam, Rödl & Partner and Schaeffler Vietnam for their strong and continuous support in 2021.
At the end of the year, I would like to use the opportunity to express our gratitude to the German Ambassador and the German Consul General and their teams for the cooperation throughout the year. We are incredibly grateful to collaborate with the German Missions to Vietnam and their comprehensive updates on the latest developments, which we regularly shared with our GBA members.
Thanks to the swift action of the Vietnamese authorities, the heroic efforts of front-line workers, the resilience of the Vietnamese people and all expats living here, the situation in Vietnam is mostly under control and Vietnam is gradually reopening after several months of lockdown. Though there are still some obstacles, the improved situation gives all companies in Vietnam renewed optimism and encouragement.
Let me share some of the highlights and figures of this year which despite the given circumstances we were able to organize:
- In January we kicked off our first event of the year, the annual Football Tournament 2020. The event attracted one hundred players together with their family and friends.
- Following the successful 2021 GBA Annual General Meeting on 25 January, we organized two physical Business Meetings, our regular back-bone event, in the first quarter of the year. We had already prepared a selection of interesting topics and speakers for the upcoming months, but unfortunately, we could not realize them due to the Covid-19 restrictions starting from May.
- After the long lockdown period, on the 2 December, the GBA Business Meeting came back with a special agenda: Final Pitch of The GBA Business Challenge – Season 2. The top 6 teams presented their business ideas at this year-end GBA event. Thanks to the vote of the attendees, we found the winning team “SHRIMPP” who will receive a monetary award and additional support to turn their business idea into a proper start-up.
- Throughout the year, we organized 19 virtual events with a total participation of over 1,200 people. Those virtual events were critical to keep our members informed and we appreciate the contribution and support of all speakers, partners and other business associations to make this possible.
- On the 24 November, our DeutschenTreff, as first physical event was back. We were especially happy to welcome more than 60 guests at this typical GBA net-working event. All members and friends in the German community were happy and excited as they finally could reconnect since the last get-together in May.
- Because of the uncertain situation this year, the GBA Board decided to postpone the second GBA Badminton tournament, planed excursions and the 28th GBA Oktoberfest again this year. We are hoping the situation will allow us to organize these events again in 2022.
- We have launched the GBA WhatsApp Announcements Group, a new communication channel, for quick updates on our activities.
Together with EuroCham and other affiliated BAs, the Breath Again Vietnam Fundraising, launched on August 17 which received many donations and great support from European enterprises and individual investors helping Vietnam’s fight against the fourth wave of Covid-19. With a grand total of more than 41 billion Vietnamese Dong of funds, materials, and medical equipment donations, the Breathe Again initiative was moving fast and tirelessly to deliver timely support to hospitals in need. We would like to thank you GBA members for contributing here.
I would like to emphasize that all our activities have been primarily made possible through the inputs, suggestions, participation and efforts from you as our valued members. Of course, I also would like to take the opportunity to thank the entire GBA Board and each of its members for their dedication and passion in terms of contribution, work, time, and efforts throughout the entire year, and let us not forget, all on a voluntary basis. My warm thank you to our GBA Office team for their hard work and commitment during this difficult time.
In 2022, we will continue to be your voice and advocate in Vietnam, fostering bilateral socio-economic relations between Vietnam and Germany as well as supporting you as our members in developing and protecting your business activities as integral part of the local community. We will also continue to make our critical but constructive contribution in the board of the EuroCham and its bodies. The GBA is by far the biggest financial net contributor to EuroCham’s member budget and will position itself accordingly.
Finally, we would like to inform you that on Monday, January 24, 2022, the GBA Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place in Ho Chi Minh City and in Hanoi. The GBA Board will report on the activities and the accounts for their period of governance at the AGM and the new GBA Board will be elected. Your candidacy and presence at the AGM is highly appreciated!
The invoice for the 2022 membership with GBA and EUROCHAM is sending to your office. Should you have any queries, suggestions or need more information please don’t hesitate to contact us anytime.
On behalf of the GBA-team, we wish you and your families a festive holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2022!
Yours faithfully,
Alexander Goetz
Chairman of the Board
German Business Association
File: GBA Chairman Letter
How to renew your membership in 2022
- Receive a Membership Renewal package by post (including a letter from GBA Chairman and the membership fee 2022 invoice) in Mid of December 2021
- Process Payment (following the information provided on the invoice) by 31 January 2022
- Update your Company Profile: by downloading Company Profile – GBA Membership 2022 and returning the completed file to mai@gba-vietnam.org
(In our 2020 GBA & EuroCham membership survey, a majority of our members wishes digital copies in the future. Going digital will also enable our chamber to be greener and more sustainable in the future, while retaining the value of this important directory. So, from 2021, the Membership Directory will be digital only and available on the GBA & EuroCham website with member login access.)
Membership fee 2022:
- Annual membership fee for a Large Enterprise (LE): 28,300,000 VND
- Annual membership fee for a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME): 14,000,000 VND
- Individual membership fee: 7,500,000 VND
- Mini membership fee: 7,500,000 VND
For further information regarding Membership Renewal please contact our Membership Manager
- Mai | 028 3823 9772 – Ext 113 | +84 903 906 181| E: mai@gba-vietnam.org
Important notice: Payment settlement also affects your voting rights during the ensuing EuroCham Annual General Meeting in March 2022