Promoting sustainable economic development in Mekong Delta

The two-day event – Mekong Connect 2022 Forum – ended successfully on November 24. The forum was organised by provincial members of the ABCD (An Giang, Ben Tre, Can Tho, and Dong Thap) Mekong regional connecting network and Ho Chi Minh City, in combination with the Vietnam Business Association of High-Quality Goods.

Organised since 2015, it is an annual forum for investors, startups, entrepreneurs, experts, and government leaders who have concerns and interests related to the Mekong delta region.

At the forum, Tran Thanh Man, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, expressed his high appreciation for the forum’s theme of "Actively improving the quality of links and integration for sustainable development."

He said that this is a pressing issue for many provinces and cities across the country in general, and in the Mekong Delta region in particular. Improving the quality of links will create a new impetus for promoting post-pandemic economic development in the Mekong Delta.

Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man speaking at the event

Man said the Mekong Delta region has significant potential and many advantages for its development. It is one of the largest and most fertile deltas in Southeast Asia. It also is the country's largest producer and exporter of food, foodstuffs, aquatic products, and fruits.

The region also has much to offer in terms of oil, gas, and renewable energy such as wind and solar power.

However, Man pointed out many great challenges facing the economy, society, and environment of the Mekong Delta region. He believes that agriculture has been slow to modernise, with limited investment capital and inadequate infrastructure. In addition, disparities in living standards and job opportunities still persist in the region, leading to migration inflows to the urban and industrial zones in proximity to Ho Chi Minh city. As a result, high-quality human resources for science and technology are still lacking.

“I hope the results of improving the quality of integration between localities in the region through this forum will create a vital impetus to improve and solve the bottlenecks, promoting the Mekong delta’s economic development toward sustainability and bearing the regional cultural identity in a new context,” said Man.

Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of Can Tho People's Committee, said that the forum helped open many opportunities to promote socioeconomic cooperation between provinces and cities in the region while facilitating businesses to seize opportunities and overcome the challenges of international business markets, thereby strengthening links and cooperation to enhance the area's competitive advantages.

“The forum has a very positive meaning, both as an annual activity and an opportunity for businesses to share, understand, connect and build sustainable relationships that help each other develop," said Truong.

Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of Can Tho People's Committee, speaking at the event

According to the organising board, this year's forum had three new points compared to previous years. Firstly, it took place after many resolutions and decisions on new development directions. This is the basis for Mekong Connect 2022 to launch its programmes with specific and effective action plans.

Secondly, the programme “Startup Day and Green Startup Fair" took place within the framework of the event, bringing a large space for startups across the country to exchange experiences, seek development opportunities, increase their scale, and exploit the market potential.

Thirdly, the event integrated sustainable development content, in which digital transformation is a crucial factor to promote agricultural innovation in Vietnam.

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