Quang Tri Towards Sustainable Development

With natural area of 474,699.11 hectares, Quang Tri has diversified resources in minerals of great quantity such as limestone on Tan Lam and Ta Rung. Titan in Vinh Linh and Gio Linh, silic in South and North Cua Viet and Hai Lang district.

 

 Quang Tri has also great potentials in sea-based economy with 75 km of coastline, two important seaports Cua Viet and Cua Tung, and several beautiful beaches. The province has a large fishing ground of 8,400 square kilometers with high quality sea products such as lobster, squid, fish and sea cucumber. In particular, the Prime Minister has recently approved the inclusion of Quang Tri South-East Economic Zone to the network of Vietnam coastline economic zones and My Thuy port to national network of seaports. Consequently, with further investments Quang Tri will play a key role in the East-West Economic Corridor, opening maritime economy for Quang Tri as well as provinces in Central Laos and North-East Thailand.

 

Quang Tri is also well known for cultural and historical relics such as Quang Tri ancient citadel, McNamara electronic line, Vinh Moc underground tunnel, Khe Sanh military base, Ta Con military airfield, as well as several festivals (National Reunification, Trans-Asia Bridge, Truong Son Legends) and spring water in Cam Lo and Da Krong adding to diversified tourist potentials of the province.

 

Besides “existing advantages”, the province has also developed “additional advantages” with administrative reform, human resources development, new thinking and practice at all levels.

 

To develop its potentials and advantages, Quang Tri has applied important measures and solutions to promote socio-economic development and attained most encouraging achievements. In spite of difficulties caused by the global economic recession, GDP of the province could increase to 9.6 percent in 2011, with 2.9 percent in agriculture-forestry-fishery, 14.6% in industry-construction, and 9.1 percent in service. The economic structure is being transformed with more efficiency and sustainability. The production value of industry-construction in 2011 made up 37.1 percent of the province GDP, together with 35.7 percent in trade-service and 27.2 percent in agriculture. New technology has been increasingly applied in each economic sector, combining with market demand and advantages of each region.

Enterprises and economic units have gradually surmounted difficulties and stabilized their operation such as Quang Phu pine resin processing factory, clinker grinding factory, zircol grinding factory, Dai Thanh wood processing factory, Phong Phu garment factory, etc.

 

The province continues to remove constraints of businesses and help them attain significant progress. In 2011, 290 new businesses have been established increasing the total number of the province to over 2,100 businesses with registered capital of over VND17,000 billion. The province has also helped accelerate the construction of Cua Viet Petroleum Storage, small hydro power projects with two projects already under operation Ha Rao Quan and Dakrong 3.

Meanwhile Quang Tri South-East Economic Zone has been submitted to the Prime Minister for approval. Other plans are under preparation for approval such as mineral exploitation and processing to 2020, energy development of 2011-2015.

 

 How will you improve investment and business environment in the years to come?

 The province has focused on investment promotion with such activities as Investment Promotion Conference organized in Ho Chi Minh City, Investment Promotion Conference to Lao Bao – Densavan trade zone, PCI seminar in conjunction with VCCI, several investment promotion programmes in Vietnam, Vietnam – Kansai (Japan) economic forum in Da Nang. The province has also worked on central government and ministries to increase investment projects in Quang Tri South-East Economic Zone and My Thuy seaport.

 

The province has also helped promote NGO projects. It has issued Promotion Programme for NGO Assistance in 2011-2015 in vision of 2010 and Regulation on Activities of Foreign NGOs. So far, 18 projects have been pledged by foreign NGOs and embassies worth US$6,896,000, including 9 projects already approved by the province. All NGO projects are being implemented on schedule. Financial assistance is being used correctly and efficiently, in compliance with Vietnamese law and international practice.

 

 In the years to come, Quang Tri will focus on the following tasks:

- Calling financial support for ODA projects already approved by the government and donors, accelerating formalities to sign five projects and calling financial support for new projects.

- Ensuring counter-capital to ODA projects to accelerate their completion, increase the trust of donors and promote new projects.

- Promoting cooperation with central government, ministries, provinces, local and foreign organizations to get more information on investment and assistance so as to attract more ODA projects in the approved list.

- Developing most efficiently provincial development strategy (PDS) with Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and plan of action included in “General Agreement” between Quang Tri People’s Committee and KOICA.

- Promoting potentials, advantages, preferential treatment and support of the province for investment projects in 2011-2015, especially key projects of the province.

- Improving investment promotion, accelerating administrative reform, upgrading staff, increasing PCI to attract investments and facilitate project implementation.

 - Reviewing licensed investment projects, withdrawing licenses of delayed projects.