Vam Cong Bridge across Hau River in the Mekong Delta. VNA/VNS Photo

Speaking at a conference on socio-economic development in the two regions, he called on them to lay out their objectives and priorities for public investment in 2021-25 to ensure “focused and effective investment.”

“The socio-economic plans need to be consistent with and build on the achievements of the last five years.”

Development should focus on people, narrowing the development gap between various regions, ensuring social security, and reducing poverty.

“Strict management and control of public investment is needed to minimise losses to the government exchequer and squander.”

The south-eastern region must prioritise resources for developing ports, airports and roads linking ports.

The delta region must focus on resolving challenges related to transportation, water storage, and riverbank and coastal erosion. 

Provinces and cities in the two regions would be able to take advantage of the shift of global investment flows by 2025, attracting large-scale and hi-tech investment to create value chains. They would also speed up administrative reform, and improve the investment and business climate.

Global supply chains would be created in the south-eastern region, which would promote HCM City’s role as an economic locomotive. 

The delta would be able to achieve higher per capita income, and high-tech farming would account for a larger proportion of the delta region’s economy. 

Resources would be used efficiently to turn the Mekong Delta into a prosperous region adapted to climate change.

Economist Le Dang Doanh also stressed the importance of investment in infrastructure in the Mekong Delta.

“In addition to public resources, it is necessary to mobilise investment from the private sector for building infrastructure in the region.”

Recently Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc instructed the Ministry of Transport to give priority to building the Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway in 2021-25. 

He also wanted the ministry to solicit private investment for the HCM City - Trung Luong - My Thuan - Can Tho - Ca Mau highway. 

He particularly ordered the completion of the Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway this year and open it to traffic in 2021.

“Public investment plans for the next five years need to include projects and programmes important to national development like the North-South Expressway, coastal roads and digital economy.”  VNS

Ba Ria - Vung Tau invests in two major projects Ba Ria - Vung Tau has recently received approval from the Government for two major projects, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway and Phuoc An Bridge.  Tran Thuong Chi, director the province Department of Transport, said the bridge is an important project connecting the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port with the North-South Expressway and southern inter-regional highways.  The Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway is set to reduce the pressure on Highway 51, and also serve as the main route between Ba Ria - Vung Tau and the south-eastern region. Dong Nai Province to complete highway network Cao Tien Dung, chairman of the Dong Nai Province People’s Committee, said many highways passing through the province would be built soon. The province has petitioned the Government to speed up construction of expressways like Ben Luc - Long Thanh, Dau Giay - Lien Khuong, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, and widening of the HCM City - Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway. Experts said Dong Nai holds an important location in the south-eastern region. The proposed Long Thanh international airport will become an economic spearhead for the region when opened. Binh Duong to improve transport infrastructure  Tran Ba Luan, director of the Binh Duong Department of Transport, said the province in the Southern Key Economic Region is working with Dong Nai to build the Bach Dang 2 Bridge between them.  The province also plans to build a rail link to industrial zones in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Dong Nai and HCM City. It has petitioned the Ministry of Transport to build a 31-km road to connect it with other key economic provinces.

Two new expressways to be built in Mekong Delta

The Ministry of Transport has directed the Cuu Long Corporation for Investment Development and Project Management of Infrastructure (CIPM) to conduct a pre-feasibility study for two expressway projects in the Mekong Delta.

HCM City calls on transport ministry to speed up work on two ring roads

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has urged the Ministry of Transport to speed up construction of ring roads No. 3 and 4.