A conference of the North-Central and Central Coastal Region Coordination Council was held on January 13 in Nghe An province, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, who is also Chairman of the Council.

It focused on identifying special mechanisms and policies for socio-economic development in the region during 2024 in accordance with Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW, dated November 3, 2022, from the Politburo, on socio-economic development and national defense and security in the north-central and central coastal region.

The region consists of 14 centrally-run localities, including Da Nang city and 13 provinces, from north-central Thanh Hoa down to south central coastal Binh Thuan, with an area accounting for 28.9 per cent of Vietnam’s total, nearly 1,800 km of coastline, or more than 55 per cent of the total, and a population of more than 20.34 million as of 2020, or some 20 per cent.

Planning for the region in the 2021-2030 period and vision to 2050 has been passed by the National Appraisal Council and will be perfected for the Prime Minister’s approval.

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung noted that the region plays a particularly important role in national development and defense and security, making regional links for development an indispensable trend and driver of development in each locality in the region, as directed by the Politburo in Resolution No. 26.

According to Minister Dung, it is therefore necessary to accelerate all works relating to planning, adjusting, and implementing the national master plan and plans for regions and centrally-run localities in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050.

Of a total of 111 plans to be mapped out nationwide for the 2021-2030 period and vision to 2050, some 109 have been completed. Of these, 103 have been appraised. Meanwhile, the National Assembly has passed the National Master Plan and the National Plan for Land Use, and the Prime Minister has approved 18 national plans for sectorial development, one regional plan, and 52 of the total of 63 city and provincial plans.

Among the 14 centrally-run localities in the north-central and central coastal region, 13 have plans approved by the Prime Minister.

Based itself on such plans, the regional Coordination Council has worked out plans for organizing investment promotion activities, mobilizing resources, and coordinating in the allocation of public investment capital, so as to encourage and direct non-State investment resources, including FDI and private sector funds, for strategic infrastructure.

The region attracted 183 new FDI projects in 2023 with registered capital of $2.23 billion, of which 19 projects and $1.4 billion were registered in Nghe An province, ranking it among the top 10 cities and provinces in the country in attracting FDI and the largest destination for FDI in the central and central highlands region.

In addition, a number of important transport projects in the region have been opened to traffic, including sections of the Eastern North - South Expressway such as Cao Bo - Mai Son, Mai Son - National Highway No. 45, National Highway No. 45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Cam Lo - La Son, and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet. Meanwhile, construction of the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway, linking the coastal province of Khanh Hoa with the central highlands, has been kicked off.

The conference also identified tasks and solutions for each locality and the region as a whole to implement the 2024 socio-economic development plan.