The forum was attended by Mr. Nguyen Tuong Van, Deputy Minister of Construction; Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City; leaders of the provinces in the Mekong Delta region, along with the participation of over 500 delegates representing various ministries, economic experts, scientists, investors, and domestic and foreign enterprises.

During the forum, speakers and economic experts dedicated a significant amount of time sharing the current situation of technical infrastructure and economic development in the region, as well as its potential, opportunities, development challenges, and new economic growth drivers in the Mekong Delta region. The aim was to find solutions and create sustainable economic development momentum for the region, as well as to foster connectivity among the southern provinces in the near future.

Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van stated that the Mekong Delta region has immense potential and advantages for comprehensive economic development. Therefore, the national master plan for the period 2021-2030 sets a target of achieving an average annual growth rate of about 6.5-7% by 2030 for the region.

According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van, in order to achieve the above-mentioned goal, the development of technical infrastructure is a necessary and urgent condition. Strengthening and completing the technical infrastructure system will contribute to stimulating investment, and facilitating urban and industrial zone construction and expansion, thereby promoting market development, increasing the efficiency of production and business activities, and facilitating the circulation of goods in the economy. It also provides momentum for the process of redistributing population and labor.

According to the Deputy Minister of Construction, in recent years, investment in technical infrastructure in the Mekong Delta region has received strong attention, contributing to improving the lives of the people and promoting socio-economic development in the localities within the region. However, alongside positive results, the technical infrastructure of the region has not met the desired development requirements and remains a bottleneck for the overall development of the region.

In the meantime, Mr. Tran Viet Truong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, also acknowledges the existing limitations in the economic and social infrastructure of the Mekong Delta region. There is a lack of crucial infrastructure elements that serve as driving forces for the socio-economic development of the entire region, such as the absence of a central port, a lack of large-scale logistics centers at the regional level, inadequate and outdated infrastructure to support industrial development, and some localities within the region still facing healthcare and education challenges. Therefore, finding feasible solutions and creating sustainable development momentum for Can Tho City and the Mekong Delta region, as well as connecting the region with the southern provinces, is a necessary and urgent requirement.

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, a member of the Economic Advisory Team to the Prime Minister, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, provided comments and suggestions at the forum.

At the forum, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City proposed that the Ministry of Construction should coordinate and support Can Tho City in promptly implementing the procedures for establishing a Center for Linkage, Production, Processing, and Consumption of Agricultural Products of the Mekong Delta region in Can Tho City, following the spirit of Resolution 45 of the National Assembly. This is to enable the city to organize and implement the necessary procedures to attract investors to participate in the project.

The Chairman of the People's Committee also suggested that the Ministry of Construction prioritize coordination and provide recommendations to the Government for early approval of investment in the upgrading and expansion of Can Tho International Airport to meet regional standards, including the construction of a Cargo Logistics Port to serve air cargo transportation in accordance with the National Airport System Planning. "This is a prerequisite for the city to plan for an airport city with an area of about 10,000 hectares," emphasized Mr. Tran Viet Truong. Additionally, there is an emphasis on investing in the development of an International Seaport in Can Tho City in accordance with the planning of the national seaport system, as well as providing guidance on the process and criteria for constructing the Logistics Center of the Mekong Delta region in Can Tho City.

Furthermore, Mr. Tran Viet Truong also proposed that the Ministry of Construction consider the proposal to allow the construction of the "Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho Railway Connection and Elevated Highway" project. According to Mr. Tran Viet Truong, currently, the Mekong Delta region only has the main national highway axis, and the localities in the region are experiencing development, resulting in an increasing volume of traffic on the roads. Moreover, the Mekong Delta is a river region with a dense network of rivers, canals, and waterways, making the construction of an elevated highway highly suitable and necessary.