The network, initiated by Vietnam, includes 15 members, namely Laos, Kenya, Australia, Japan, Columbia, Thailand, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Senegal, Mexico, Chile, Madagascar, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue stated that the OCOP movement has developed in different countries over the past 40 years, but there is no organisation or network linking cooperation in this field.
Vietnam proposes member countries take turn to organise iOCOP connectivity forum and international fair to share experience and promote iOCOP products in a larger scale, he added.
Le Ba Ngoc, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Handicraft Exporters Association, said that the network looks to connect nations, organisations and individuals over the globe to effectively carry out the OCOP movement, thus contributing to sustainable development in rural areas.
The iOCOP network will help localities achieve sustainable economic growth through the improvement of value chains of their typical products, and use their resources to develop products that can be competitive in both domestic and foreign markets.
It will also help improve the capacity of State management officials and partners participating in iOCOP value chains, and organise market development and promotion programmes and fairs at the national and international levels, Ngoc stated.
VNA/VNP
