Ben Tre urged to step up public investment disbursement
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 9 urged the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre to work hard to complete yearly targets and tasks, with local public investment disbursement rate set at at least 90 percent.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the working session with Ben Tre leaders (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucon July 9 urged the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre to work hard to complete yearlytargets and tasks, with local public investment disbursement rate set at atleast 90 percent.
He pointed out difficulties caused by the COVID-19pandemic and drought facing the locality, and its low disbursement rate.
Ben Tre should utilise opportunities from internationalintegration, especially free trade agreements (FTAs) to which Vietnam is amember like the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he said.
The PM praised Ben Tre for its high provincial competitivenessindex and other indexes, and asked the locality to step up administrativereform and improve the local business environment.
More attention should be paid to management of climate change projects,he said, stressing that Ben Tre needs to take a step ahead in digital transformationto pave the way for digital economic development.
PM Phuc agreed in principle Ben Tre’s mobilisation ofresources from different economic sectors in building a transmission linesystem connected to renewable energy projects in the province.
It was reported that Ben Tre’s socio-economicdevelopment has been impacted by COVID-19 and drought.
The pandemic has forced 55 businesses to dissolve andmore than 130 others to suspend their operation. As of mid-June, the provincehad received 6,200 applications for unemployment benefits.
🧸 Meanwhile, drought has affected 5,300ha of rice,28,00ha of fruit trees and 2,000ha of giant river prawns, with total economiclosses amounting to 1.66 trillion VND (71.65 million USD). /.
The Mekong Delta has experienced the most severe drought and saline intrusion ever in the dry season 2019-2020 but the negative impacts on agricultural production and daily life were minimised significantly thanks to effective measures, a top official has said.
The Centre for Environment and Community Assets Development (CECAD) and the Finnish Embassy in Vietnam have signed an agreement to fund a project improving communications capacity to cope with climate change in the Mekong Delta.
The Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, which is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change in the region, should map out a plan for building an irrigation network and enacting measures against saltwater intrusion with a vision for the next 50 years, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Phung Quoc Hien said at a working session with local authorities on July 8.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the working session with Ben Tre leaders (Photo: VNA) 
