July 24, 2009

The key economic region of the Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta is tapped to become Vietnam's foremost producer of rice and seafood by 2020, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai. 

 

Speaking at a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Mekong key economic region in Can Tho City on July 23, Hai said the development of the region would serve as a "driving force for the whole region".

 

Hai asked concerned ministries, sectors and localities to pay attention to the development of a modern infrastructure network within the region and the country as a whole particularly mitigating the impacts of climate change.

 

The key economic region of the Mekong Delta includes An Giang, Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces and Can Tho City, and occupies over 16,610 square kilometers. It has a total population of 6.4 million.

 

The region has great potential for economic development, especially food and aqua products, the deputy prime minister said.

 

During the 2006-08 period, the annual growth in gross domestic product in the region was 13.57 per cent.

 

The region, Hai said, is not only a service centre for education and training, health, science and technology, trade and tourism, it also has three major energy centres O Mon (Can Tho), Ca Mau and Kien Luong (Kien Giang). The region also acts a bridge linking the Mekong Delta region with the outside world, he said.

 

Committee members agreed that by 2010 agro-forestry and fisheries should account for 29.4 per cent of the regions GDP but that by 2020 it would likely drop to 15 per cent. The industry and construction sector should make up 28.7 per cent of the region's GDP by 2010 and 40 per cent by 2020. By 2020 the service industry should account for 45 per cent of the regions GDP, as opposed to 41.9 per cent in 2010, the committee said.

 

By 2020, it is expected that 65 percent of labourers in the region would have received vocational training.

 

If it fully taps its economic potential, it is hoped the regions GDP for the period 2009-10 will be one and a half times the national figure and 1.25 times during 2011-20, the committee heard.

 

At present the region accounts for 10.5 per cent of the national GDP growth. The committee said it is targeting the rate of 11.6 per cent and a per capita GDP of US$1,200 by 2010.

 

Hai pledged that the government would continue to invest in development projects in the region such as national highway 1A, and the N1 and N2 roads. River and seaports and airports would also be built, as will industrial parks and border economic zones, the deputy prime minister said.