LocationsSouth-South Learning: Pakistan Seeks to Learn from Viet Nam’s Path to USD400 Billion Exports
September 30, 2025
Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister of Planning and Development of Pakistan, and Ambassador Kohdayar Marri (left) during the knowledge exchange meeting
What does it take for a country to move from one of the poorest in the world to a thriving export-led economy?
This week, UNDP in Pakistan and UNDP in Viet Nam co-facilitated a knowledge exchange with Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister of Planning and Development of Pakistan, during this visit to Viet Nam, and Ambassador Kohdayar Marri. The session brought together experts to reflect on Viet Nam’s success and the lessons that could inform Pakistan’s path forward.
Viet Nam’s journey is impressive. In just over 30 years, exports grew from just USD3 billion to more than USD400 billion today. This transformation was achieved through consistent reforms, investments in people, and integration into global markets. Rural development, education, and job creation in labor-intensive industries provided the early foundation, while later waves of investment and innovation expanded opportunities in manufacturing, electronics, and services.
For Pakistan, some of the key lessons lie in ensuring peace, stability and continuity as the foundations for sustained growth; translating macroeconomic stability into a development dividend for people; strengthening local governance; and aligning public investment, skills, and governance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam Ramla Khalidi together with UNDP staff and experts during the knowledge exchange meeting
The dialogue with UNDP staff and experts also touched on pressing challenges affecting the two countries: how to balance rapid growth with environmental sustainability, how to decentralize effectively while ensuring effective governance, and how to prepare for the inevitable disruptions of technology and climate change.
Minister Iqbal shared Pakistan’s aspiration to strengthen its export performance, emphasizing that consistent reforms and stability will be key to unlocking future potential. For Viet Nam, the discussion was also a chance to reflect on the next stage of its journey in an era of new reforms - shifting from labor-intensive production toward higher-value, innovation-driven growth.
What connects both countries is a shared determination to deliver on the SDGs by aligning economic strategies with human development and resilience.
As both countries move forward, exchanges like this reaffirm the power of South-South cooperation: turning shared experiences into shared progress./.
Related
content
content
