On the afternoon of April 12, 2022, VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong had a meeting with Mr. Ho Van Muoi - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Le Van Chien - Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; with Directors of Departments of Dak Nong province.

Photo 1: VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong worked with Mr. Ho Van Muoi - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee, and a delegation of Dak Nong Province officials, on the afternoon of April 12, 2022.

Mr. Ho Van Muoi - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee said that in 2020, the PCI of Dak Nong province ranked 60/63 with 60.96 points, increased 1.46 points and 02 steps compared to 2019. Among them, there are 5 targets that have been achieved and exceeded as planned: Cost of market entry, Time cost, Informal cost, Equal competition, Legal institution; 4 indicators higher than the national average are Market entry costs, Land access, Transparency, and Fair competition.

The index that recorded the highest increase was market entry at 8.03 points, increased 1.27 points, followed by the indexes of equal competition, legal institutions, labor training and support services. All businesses have an increase in points compared to 2019.

Determination to improve the PCI

According to Mr. Muoi, the issue of improving the PCI index is being drastically implemented by Dak Nong province. Specifically, on administrative procedure reform: Administrative procedures are publicized on the province's electronic One-Stop-shop information system and online public service. In order to save time costs and unofficial costs for businesses and people, over the past time, agencies and units have promoted propaganda and guidance for businesses and people to use services; up to now, the province has provided 620 online public services at levels 3 and 4.

In order to improve the business investment environment recently, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a decision to establish a Team to support the investment of off-budget projects in the province (Decision 558/QD-UBND dated April 23^rd, 2021); promulgate regulations guiding the order and procedures for implementing investment and business projects in Dak Nong province (Decision 2120/QD-UBND dated December 1, 2021).

Regarding investment promotion: Leaders of the Provincial People's Committee directly chaired and worked with many large economic groups to explore investment opportunities in the province; on the basis of the memorandum of understanding at the working sessions, specialized agencies have actively implemented activities to support investors in making project proposals.

In order to prepare the best conditions for investors, the Provincial People's Committee is finalizing and will issue a list of projects calling for and attracting investment, ensuring sufficient information and legal basis to call for investment, attracting domestic and foreign investors to study and research investment in Dak Nong province.

Regarding planning and land access as well as development orientation, the province has taken steps to prepare the Dak Nong Provincial Planning for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 as planned. The province has invited an international consulting unit with experience and capacity in planning.

The invitation of an international consultant is an affirmation of the importance and determination of the provincial leaders to build and develop Dak Nong in a methodical and sustainable way. The draft plan will also be widely commented on to ensure its feasibility.

Photo 2

Regarding business support: in addition to the promulgated business support policies, in order to promptly and effectively implement programs to support businesses and employees according to the Government's policy to support businesses, people affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, the province has directed the implementation of many solutions such as: Restructuring the repayment term, exempting and reducing interest, fees, taxes, maintaining the debt group to support customers; support to reduce electricity prices, reduce electricity bills for customers; extend tax payment for those affected by the epidemic. The province has also actively implemented the "green channel" of transport; established a Working Group to support and connect agricultural product consumption, support to bring agricultural production households to trade on the e-commerce platform.

Regarding information and communication work: The central and local press agencies have had news, articles and reports that have positively reflected and reported on the efforts of local authorities in supporting businesses, investors, improve the business environment. A number of specialized agencies have focused on information disclosure, transparent disclosure of documents and documents on newsletters, journals, and electronic information pages of the units.

However, Mr. Muoi also pointed out that there are still many shortcomings and limitations. “In the past time, provincial leaders have organized business dialogue meetings in many forms; However, the achieved results are not high and have not completely solved the difficulties and problems for enterprises. The limitations in improving the business investment environment, the low ranking of the PCI index have adversely affected the image of Dak Nong province in the assessment of businesses and investors.

4 PROPOSALS TO VCCI

At the meeting, leaders of Dak Nong province proposed: Firstly, as a mountainous province with many difficulties, Dak Nong province wants VCCI to support the province in calling for advertising and investment promotion, becoming a bridge important information for domestic and foreign investors to find out information and invest in the province.

Secondly, support the province to organize a workshop between the government and investors to find out the causes and fundamental solutions to improve the business investment environment. In the immediate future, the province will support the province to organize training courses for civil servants on duty related to supporting businesses, investors and improving the business investment environment.

Thirdly, in order to improve the PCI provincial competitiveness index in the following years, thereby improving and improving the quality of the business environment of Dak Nong province, VCCI is requested to advise on the contents and solutions to improve and raise the PCI index.

Fourthly, VCCI needs to diversify forms of investigation, collect PCI scoring information (through direct survey, phone, email, information from reports, provincial executive direction, etc.); there are solutions to overcome the situation that the person who writes the survey answer sheet, investigates the wrong subject to be investigated.

Photo 3,4: On behalf of the working delegation, Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Muoi, Standing Vice Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee Le Van Chien presented a picture to VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong.

Chairman of Dak Nong affirmed that he will implement investment preferential policies, support and create all the most favorable conditions to support domestic and foreign investors and businesses to promote investment activities in the province. 

DESTINATION FOR INVESTORS

At the meeting, VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong affirmed that Dak Nong is in the strongest period of development ever with more and more big investors coming to survey and invest.

According to the Chairman of VCCI, Dak Nong province has a number of potentials and advantages such as: The reserve of bauxite minerals is the best in the world and the largest in the country, with reserves of about 5.4 billion tons of primitive. It is considered as a particularly important natural advantage in attracting the development of alumina industry, aluminum smelting, deep processing of aluminum products and other ancillary industries.

In particular, Dak Nong is a land that preserves the unique historical and cultural values ​​of more than 40 ethnic communities living together with traditional epics, historical relics, artistic and literary spaces. The culture of gongs, sophisticated brocade weaving, and traditional festivals of indigenous peoples are very favorable for tourism development.

According to the Chairman of VCCI, in addition to the above-mentioned strengths, Dak Nong province is also a destination for foreign investors to invest in the fields of health and education. These are the areas that also promise to be well developed for business investment in the near future.

With great potential, advantages and preferential policies implemented in a timely manner, VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong believes that Dak Nong will achieve rapid and sustainable development in the coming time.

With the recommendations of Dak Nong province, VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong affirmed that VCCI will accompany Dak Nong province in promoting its image, promoting investment, and improving the PCI index. At the same time, VCCI will be established a focal point in the Central Highlands to quickly support businesses and investors in the province.