Ninh Thuan on road to big success

The province is in pole position to exploit growing investors’ attention

Positioned at the meeting point of three strategic transport axes – the north-south railway, national highway 1A and road 27 into the Central Highlands’ region – Ninh Thuan has huge potential for economic development.

But the south-central coastal province has struggled to lure investors in recent years with lower-than-expected growth pace compared to other locations in the region. The province’s management authorities realised  long-term development plans and strategies would help the province manage development breakthroughs.

In August 2009, Ninh Thuan was the first locality in the country to get the prime minister’s go-ahead to raise funds from donors and domestic and foreign enterprises as well as use part of its budget to hire two leading global consultants to develop three master plans for the province.
US-based Monitor Corporation and the UK’s Arup Corporation drew up a master plan for the province’s overall socio-economic development during 2010-2020, a master plan for Phan Rang - Thap Cham city’s development and a master plan for the coastal strip of the province.

The provincial socio-economic development master plan toward 2020 with a vision unitl 2030, developed by these two prestigious consultants, was rubber stamped by the prime minister on July 22, 2011 and is expected to bring all-round development to the province in diverse investment fields.

To promote the master plan to the public and the investor community Ninh Thuan People’s Committee teamed up with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to host a national conference entitled ‘New planning-New development scenario–New investment opportunities’. The conference, with the patronage of BIDV will be held on December 12, 2011 in the province’s Phan Rang-Thap Cham city.

The event is forecast to attract 500-600 local and foreign participants including Party and state leaders, ministerial agencies as well as business representatives and investors.
Keynote speeches will be delivered by Monitor and Arup senior experts, and leading economists at home and abroad.

A list of 50 possible investment projects will be unveiled on the occasion. These projects are in key areas which will underpin the province’s future development. These are clean energy projects including two nuclear power projects,  solar and wind energy projects. Clean agriculture will also be promoted as will the application of science and technology achievements.

Promoting supporting industry growth relevant to wind and solar energy will be another focus. Then there are industrial development projects, projects promoting tourism sector, education, training and real estate development, according to Ninh Thuan Planning and Investment Department director Pham Dong.  

“Getting the world’s prestigious groups engaged in provincial master planning will help Ninh Thuan get exposure among international investors,” said Dong, adding that in the year to September the province had welcomed 190 investor groups to seek investment opportunities in the province.