9:59:18 AM | 13/12/2012
After years of continued efforts to improve the investment environment and mobilise resources for social and economic development, Dien Bien province has entered a brighter and more prospective phase. Despite being faced with difficulties arising from general economic downturn, the province has managed to maintain a stable development pace and ensure people's livelihoods, thanks to comprehensive and positive solutions. Vietnam Business Forum has an interview with Mr Mua A Son, Chairman of Dien Bien People’s Committee, on the province’s situation. Trong Linh reports.
Last year, the economy of the country in general and of Dien Bien in particular faced numerous challenges. How do you assess the provincial administration and socioeconomic development results?
2012 is the second year Dien Bien province implements the Resolution of the 12th Provincial Party Congress and the five-year social and economic development plan (2011-2015). Dien Bien has achieved relatively good results in all aspects. Notably, the gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to reach 9.12 per cent; economic structure continues to shift in the right direction; budgetary revenues exceed targets.
Markedly, the provincial administration is renovated with the focus on results, thus boosting up the public sentiment and trust in the government.
Price stabilisation has been effectively deployed, hence satisfying the market demand for goods and services, even in remote areas. Dien Bien has synchronously carried out key programmes and projects like a resettlement zone for Son La Hydropower Plant, Project 79 on resettlement for residents in Muong Nhe district.
Administrative reform, personnel building, fight against corruption and wastage, inspection and settlement of complaints and denunciations have also had positive results, thus contributing to political security, social order and safety in border regions and interior areas.
In recent years, the business community has been weakened by economic and financial crisis. What mechanisms and policies did Dien Bien province take to support businesses to live through hardships?
Knowing hardships facing against businesses in the province and in the country as a whole, Dien Bien has strictly enforced the Government’s Resolution 13/NQ-CP dated May 10, 2012 on a number of measures to support businesses to deal with difficulties and support the provincial market. The provincial government instructed competent agencies at all tiers to inspect and understand production and business situations of enterprises, examine and assess the progress of investment projects, especially hydropower, mining, mineral processing, building material production projects, for timely solutions to remove difficulties and problems.
To date, the banking system in the province has brought down interest rates to below 15 per cent per annum as recommended by the State Bank (under 15 per cent). Agribank and BIDV - the two largest banks in the province - actively contacts and meets with investors and businesses to reschedule outstanding debts and arrange new loans.
For the time being, mobilising resources for economic restructuring to suit the development trend is becoming increasingly urgent. How has Dien Bien province prepared for that process to spur sustainable economic development?
To mobilise resources for quickened and sustainable development of the provincial economy, Dien Bien has set out a number of specific measures and objectives as follows:
Firstly, reviewing the province’s socioeconomic development plans to make adjustments and supplements to match new socioeconomic development situations and the status of the province.
Secondly, tapping the province’s advantages and potentials, accelerating economic restructuring process, motivating and promoting the rapid, efficient and sustainable economic development process; Planning and investing in development of centralised production zones in line with specific capacity and conditions of each zone, producing the province's staples such as rice, coffee, soybean, tea, rubber, cattle breeding and forestry.
Thirdly, seizing investment sources from the central budget and businesses to complete technical infrastructure system, industrial zones, and traffics.
Fourthly, stepping up industrial development, especially agricultural and forestry product processing associated with material production zones, and the animal feed industry.
Fifthly, combining the exploitation of historical tourism and ecological tourism with cultural and ethnic identity; prioritising the development in remote areas, continuing market survey and expansion in northern Laos and China’s Yunnan province.
Sixthly, building and training high-quality human resources, applying human resources training policies and talent attraction and employment policies.
According to the result of the provincial competitiveness index (PCI) in 2011, Dien Bien moved up 26 places to rank 29th among 63 provinces and cities. This shows the tremendous efforts of the provincial government. What will the province do to lift up its PCI ranking in the future?
The outcome comes from the province’s good administrative procedure reform, investment environment improvement and administration. To uphold the momentum, the province will implement various solutions in the future but will focus on the following:
Firstly, renovating and stepping up governance of leaders of all levels, proactively analysing, forecasting, snatching up opportunities, setting oriented goals and tasks, and promoting leader roles and responsibilities in task implementation.
Secondly, reviewing, adjusting and supplementing plans and policies on economic restructuring and investment attraction, accelerating investment projects, especially important ones, disbursing investment sources.
Thirdly, promoting administrative reform, especially reform of administrative procedures concerning investment, improving the effectiveness of single-window mechanism.
Thank you very much!
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