Creating momentum for a breakthrough year

In 2024, the province's economy extended its positive recovery trend and achieved remarkable results compared to 2023, with estimated GRDP growth of 5.45%, and the domestic budget revenue growth as high as 11.35%. New rural development process produced good results, enabling the province to achieve the target with six more communes. Its investment and business environment and competitiveness were improved. The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) climbed six places to rank 7th out of 63 provinces and cities.

Signing ceremony of fresh Ben Tre coconut purchase agreement between Chinese and Vietnamese enterprises

Notably, the department successfully hosted Ben Tre Investment Promotion Conference 2024 with three main events: Organizing the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Ba Lai 8 Bridge associated with the launch of the Coastal Road connecting Ben Tre province with Tien Giang and Tra Vinh provinces, the Workshop on "New energy and renewable energy - Investment potential and potential” and Ben Tre Investment Promotion Conference 2024 themed “Ben Tre - Eastward vision and potential for sustainable development.”

2025 is the final year of implementing the resolution of the 11th Provincial Party Committee (2020-2025 term), organizing Party congresses at all levels and celebrating major holidays and important events of the country and the province. Ben Tre announced 21 main socioeconomic targets to be achieved, including the GRDP growth of 6.0-6.5%, the export value of US$1.85 billion, the total social investment capital of VND19,960 billion, the budget revenue of VND6,380 billion, five communes recognized to meet new rural development standards or higher, six communes certified to complete advanced new rural development standards, and two communes accredited to finish model new rural development standards.

In particular, the province will accelerate the progress of key works and projects like Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, access roads to Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, Ba Lai 8 Bridge, and the road from Giao Long Port to Phu Thuan Industrial Park. It will complete investment procedures for Ben Tre waste treatment plant, An Hiep waste treatment plant and Ben Tre General Hospital.

Efforts to enhance competitiveness

Ben Tre's Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) 2023 climbed six places from 2022 to return to the Top 10 group. This achievement resulted from consistent efforts at all levels of government to address bottlenecks and create a dynamic, attractive investment environment.

Among 10 component indices, two ranked first and second nationwide, namely Land access (ranked first) and Fair competition (ranked second). Four indices gained higher scores than in 2022: (1) Market entry, (2) Transparency, (3) Fair competition, and (4) Business support policies. The analytical breakdown of PCI component indices showed that the province's investment environment improved in many aspects like government performance, quality of provincial economic governance, administrative reform, and increasingly equal competitive environment. However, the fact that up to six indexes dropped in scores and rankings, with two sliding deeply, showing that Ben Tre still had many areas to be improved, requiring efforts of all sectors.

Currently, Ben Tre is actively carrying out a set of indicators to assess the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI), which will provide an opportunity for relevant agencies and localities to "self-examine" and "self-correct" to improve their work and overcome hardships in the coming time.

Ben Tre organized many dialogue conferences, business talks, investment promotion meetings and business meetings; propagated investment support policies; participated in many high-level investment promotion conferences in the country and the region to enhance sharing and exchange between the government and businesses.

The province also consistently and effectively implemented programs, projects and tasks to create the most favorable investment and business environment for economic sectors; accelerated the progress of licensed projects; strengthened post-inspection and handled slow-progressing investment projects; improved the quality of coordination of related agencies in handling administrative procedures and responding to and resolving recommendations from enterprises. The province rectified business inspections and reviewed and revised inspection plans to avoid duplication or overlaps.

At the same time, the province continued to thoroughly uphold the attitude, manner and responsibility of public employees in performing public duties; and resolutely and strictly handled harassment and violations to build a constructive and enabling government.

Supporting business development

After 10 years of carrying out Resolution 09-NQ/TW dated December 9, 2011 of the Politburo on building and promoting the role of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the period of accelerating industrialization, modernization and international integration, Ben Tre province adopted many policies and guidelines to encourage business development and foster the role of entrepreneurs. The awareness of entrepreneurs’ roles has enhanced. Party committees and authorities at all levels regularly pay attention to business development. Effective policies and programs to support the private economy have created a favorable, equal and stable investment and business environment while more large-scale, highly competitive businesses have emerged to generate many products and services with added value.

In the 2011-2021 period, Ben Tre businesses made strong progress in the number, scale and quality of business development, with 3,834 newly established companies with a total registered capital of about VND25,704.43 billion. The province licensed 54 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with US$1.53 billion and 236 domestic direct investment (DDI) projects with a combined registered investment capital of VND77,707 billion.

To execute Resolution 41-NQ/TW dated October 10, 2023 of the Politburo and Resolution 66/NQ-CP dated May 9, 2024 of the Government, the Standing Board of Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee developed Program 49-CTr/TU dated December 8, 2023 and the Provincial People's Committee announced Plan 5052/KH-UBND dated August 5, 2024 for implementation. Accordingly, Ben Tre province set out the goals of developing a strong entrepreneur force in terms of quantity and quality and strengthening the trust of the business community and entrepreneurs to clear bottlenecks, mobilize and unleash social resources for investment and development. The province facilitated and promoted the development of enterprises and entrepreneurs to truly become the core force, leading local socioeconomic development.

The province also announced its main tasks and solutions: Raising the awareness of the position and role of the business community in executing socioeconomic development goals of Ben Tre province; perfecting policies and laws, creating a favorable, safe and equal investment and business environment for businesspeople and enterprises to develop and contribute more; developing a strong business community on par with national development goals and tasks in the new period; building business ethics and culture and promoting the national spirit of the business community; strengthening solidarity, cooperation and association between businesspeople, workers, farmers and intellectuals under the leadership of the Party; fostering the role of agencies representing the business community and enterprises; and reinforcing the leadership of the Party and the administration of the government in building and promoting the role of entrepreneurs.

Defining businesses as an important driving force in development, the entire political system of the province always has a consistent viewpoint on performing transparent, innovative direction and operation and creating the most favorable conditions for businesses and investors.

In the coming time, the province will carry out the Provincial Master Plan. This is also an opportunity for investors and businesses to study, research, invest and develop in Ben Tre. The province is committed to providing easing policies, mechanisms and investment procedures to encourage and facilitate businesses and investors to come to Ben Tre to seek opportunities and form investment and business cooperation in the safest, most convenient, fastest and most effective way.