There must be major projects to turn the tide for the Mekong Delta region.

According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, large-scale projects are needed, especially in the provinces of Bac Lieu , Vinh Long, and Ca Mau... These provinces are heavily affected by landslides, land loss due to erosion, and climate change, so large-scale projects are needed to mitigate natural disasters.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need for large-scale projects that will transform the situation in the Mekong Delta region. - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Is the monitoring of resource utilization sufficient, correct, and effective?

On the morning of October 24th, continuing the work program of the 6th session of the 15th National Assembly, the National Assembly held group discussions on evaluating the results of the implementation of the socio-economic development plan for 2023 and the projected socio-economic development plan for 2024.

During the group discussion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh spent considerable time exchanging views with delegates on issues related to investment and development, and climate change response in the Mekong Delta region.

The Prime Minister emphasized that surveys show the Mekong Delta is currently facing several problems, including "subsidence, erosion, drought, and saltwater intrusion."

Recently, the Government decided to allocate 4,000 billion VND to the Mekong Delta provinces to address these issues in the short term. The Prime Minister requested that National Assembly delegations monitor whether the resources are being used adequately, correctly, and effectively.

In the long term, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need for large-scale projects, especially in the provinces of Bac Lieu, Vinh Long, and Ca Mau... These provinces are heavily affected by landslides, land loss due to erosion, and climate change, so large-scale projects are needed to mitigate natural disasters.

"The Mekong Delta has many things to do, but both in the short and long term, it is crucial to address landslides, subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and drought," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized.

Given the severe impact of climate change on the Mekong Delta, the Prime Minister stated that Vietnam must work with the world to prevent global warming. In addition, long-term projects, including multi-billion dollar projects, must be developed.

Accordingly, the Mekong Delta needs to prepare for long-term projects, mobilize capital, and implement public-private partnership projects to combat erosion, ensuring they are carried out systematically, effectively, and promptly.

The Prime Minister reiterated that changes to the upstream Mekong River are a major issue, and Vietnam is working with relevant countries to develop plans and implement large-scale projects to help minimize the impact on the Mekong River's flow. In particular, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of protecting the natural flow of the Mekong River, a major and long-term issue.

"Besides our own efforts, we need to promote the Mekong sub-region with major partners and relevant countries in the region, and call on countries with developed economies and sciences to work together to solve the problem," the Prime Minister said, emphasizing that the Mekong Delta issue is extremely important to agriculture, to jobs and livelihoods of the people, and to the development of the country.

The Prime Minister noted that erosion in the Mekong Delta is a major problem, requiring both immediate solutions and the development of large-scale, long-term projects to prevent negative impacts on the Mekong Delta. - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

We have to undertake big projects, turn the tide.

According to the head of government, erosion in the Mekong Delta is a major problem, requiring both immediate solutions and the development of large-scale, long-term projects to prevent negative impacts on the Mekong Delta.

This is one of the important tasks identified by the Government. The projects that need to be implemented include combating landslides, subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and climate change. This requires increased international cooperation and the mobilization of resources. Projects funded by international loans need to be focused and targeted.

"If we're going to borrow, we must do large-scale projects that will turn the tide and transform the situation, not small, fragmented projects. Instead of spreading ourselves too thin, we should focus on major issues like combating subsidence, landslides, saltwater intrusion, and climate change," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized, noting the need for new thinking, methods, and approaches to address both immediate problems and find fundamental, long-term solutions.

The Prime Minister added that the Government is directing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a process for growing 1 million hectares of clean rice, promoting green agriculture and sustainable development to serve food security and sustainable exports.

The Prime Minister also noted other major issues, such as prioritizing human resource training and transportation infrastructure. Emphasizing the advantages of the Mekong Delta region, which is characterized by its waterways and the need for bridges and ports, the Prime Minister noted that in developing transportation infrastructure, the Mekong Delta region can utilize and exploit resources from the rivers, but this exploitation must be sustainable.

According to the Prime Minister, in order to develop the transportation infrastructure system, the central government's responsibility is to connect regions and provinces, but localities must make efforts and allocate resources to connect within provinces and districts.

Citing the example of Dien Bien's determination to build an airport to illustrate infrastructure development, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that localities must be determined to act, invest their own money, and focus on the project, without relying on the central government. The central government will not abandon the localities either. Localities will invest in land clearance, while the central government will invest in runways, parking areas, and terminals. Only then can Dien Bien airport be built. The central government and localities must work together.

"We know that if we can remove obstacles, we will have the resources. If it's just the local authorities or just the central government, it won't work; cooperation is necessary. We still need BOT and BT projects to develop infrastructure," the Prime Minister emphasized.

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