Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong on July 23 to pool all of its resources in order to fully unleash its development potential.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs an online meeting with the leadership of Dak Nong province,
to remove hurdles to its development (Photo: VGP) 

Addressing an online meeting held alongside the Dak Nong provincial leadership, PM Phuc noted that the province holds an important strategic position within the Central Highlands region and possesses plenty of untapped potential in terms of its own development.

“Such a region does not solve any development problems unless it attracts investment, especially from large companies,” said PM Phuc. “Dak Nong should seek to accelerate administrative reforms, complete an e-government model, and connect all agencies to create a favourable business environment for investors.”

The PM went on to laud the province for its remarkable feats achieved in poverty reduction, saying as a mountainous locality inhabited by various different ethnic groups, poverty reduction should be made the top priority in its socio-economic development strategy.

Despite these positives, PM Phuc declared his dissatisfaction at the province’s slow rate of public investment disbursement, with the figure just meeting 35% of the annual plan, and called for a greater effort to be made in order to realise the set target.

The Government leader reminded the province of the importance of developing industries of its strength, such as mining and farm produce processing, especially in relation to hi-tech agriculture.

“During talks with the New Zealand Prime Minister yesterday, we touched upon the possibility of increasing the export of avocados and kiwis, of which avocados are a specialty of Vietnam in general and the Central Highlands region in particular,” he said. “This is a great chance for us to expand the consumption market for this kind of fruit.”

The Prime Minister requested that Dak Nong better manage its land, protect local forests, and increase forest coverage, in addition to caring about social security, poverty reduction, education, training, as well as striving to improve the quality of human resources, considering this a sustainable way out of poverty.

Acknowledging local leaders’ proposals to develop the power network and hi-tech agriculture, the PM pledged to work alongside relevant ministries and agencies in a bid to support the province in this regard.

The opening six months of the year has seen Dak Nong obtain an economic growth rate of 6.09%, ranking second in the Central Highlands region. Its Index of Industrial Production increased by 4.5%.

The locality aims to achieve an economic growth of 7.91% for the year, raise the poverty reduction rate above 3.5%, and complete other important socio-economic indicators.