In recent years, cooperation programs between Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta region have produced many positive results. The implementation of this agreement is intended to translate the potentials and advantages of the relevant provinces and cities into concrete values, making greater contributions to the socio-economic development of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta region. This is a platform to connect the enterprises and promote public-private cooperation on a win-win basis as well as exchange experience in administrative reform, state management, and enterprise development support.

Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Deputy Secretary of Can Tho City Party Committee, Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, spoke at the Conference

Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, said that the cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta localities creates a driving force to promote development and opens up opportunities for multi-faceted cooperation among localities. Previously, authorities from Ho Chi Minh City and 13 localities in the Mekong Delta signed cooperation agreements at a conference on March 11, 2023, in Ben Tre province. This is considered a foundation to create new and extensive cooperation opportunities between Ho Chi Minh City and localities in the Mekong Delta.

For deeper cooperation, Chairman Tran Viet Truong hoped to receive support from Ho Chi Minh City in technology, tourism, healthcare, and economic development. He also hoped that people in the Mekong Delta would have access to advanced techniques of Ho Chi Minh City’s leading medical sector.

In the remaining months of 2023, Ho Chi Minh City will join forces with the localities in the delta to hold regional programs to connect businesses in the two regions, enhance the supply of goods and promote investment. The cooperation will be prioritized in five areas in 2024-2025, including transportation infrastructure, tourism, climate change adaptation, digital transformation, healthcare, and education.

As for transportation infrastructure, the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong - My Thuan expressway expansion, Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway, and research on a coastal road linking Ho Chi Minh City and the delta will be prioritized.

Regarding tourism, the two sides will implement tourism promotion plans for Ho Chi Minh City and the 13 Mekong Delta localities from 2021 to 2025. Specifically, the two sides will organize tourism promotion events, set up tourism websites, improve tourism branding, and upskill tourism personnel.

In the education and health sector, a cooperation project will be carried out to provide knowledge in medical examination and treatment, intensive therapy, and remote consultation. Besides, connecting universities, institutions, as well as human resources training centers will benefit the area in terms of connecting, exchanging knowledge, expanding the labor market, and creating more employment.

In the series of activities of the conference, there will be a conference to connect trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City. Moreover, the southern largest city also signed an agreement on cooperation in the health sector with other provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta in the period of 2023-2025. Discussion on the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway project is also a part of the conference.

Mr. Phan Van Mai, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, delivered a speech at the conference.

Through the conference to announce an action plan on the implementation of the socio-economic cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s southern economic hub and the Mekong Delta in 2023 and the 2024-2025 period, the provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta had many recommendations and proposals to rebalance available human resources and develop socio-economic in accordance with the specific characteristics of each locality.

Mr. Phan Van Mai, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said that the cooperation between the city and the Mekong Delta serves as a bridge to connect businesses in the region, promote public-private partnerships for the development of both sides.

The action plan will be implemented by building a coordination team consisting of local leaders and five specialized groups including transportation infrastructure, tourism, climate change adaptation, digital transformation, healthcare, and education. Mekong Delta localities will jointly develop regulations and plans. In the meantime, Ho Chi Minh City will be responsible for implementing a platform to monitor the entire content of the cooperation program, update the progress status, announce the results, and exchange ideas on that platform.

Leaders of provinces and cities discussed at the conference.

The conference to announce an action plan on the implementation of the socio-economic cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s southern economic hub and the Mekong Delta in 2023 and the 2024-2025 period is a very important event as it connects the enterprises and promotes public-private cooperation on a win-win basis as well as exchange experience in administrative reform, state management, and enterprise development support. Furthermore, the conference also contributes to effectively implementing Resolution No. 13-NQ/TW dated April 2, 2022, of the Politburo on orientations for socio-economic development and defense-security safeguarding in the Mekong Delta until 2030, with a vision to 2045, exploiting the potential and advantages of the relevant provinces and cities into concrete values, making greater contributions to the socio-economic development of Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta region in line with the national socio-economic development strategy.