City agrees to help Mekong provinces with development

By Tuan Son – Translated by Hoang Thi
Posted at http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/
April 29, 2009

Ho Chi Minh City signed agreements with the Mekong Delta provinces of Bac Lieu and Soc Trang on April 27 to help them develop their economic potential and expand their market through 2015.

The pacts were signed during a visit to the provinces by a delegation of city authorities and entrepreneurs headed by and HCM City Party chief Le Thanh Hai.

Bac Lieu Province will get assistance in developing agriculture and rural areas; industry; trade and service; information technology and communications; natural resources and environment; investment and urban management; health, education and training; and culture and society.

Mr. Hai said the agreement would help develop each locality’s strengths on the basis of mutual interest. In Soc Trang Province, speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Hai said: “For the cooperation to be effective, the implementation of the agreement has to be monitored closely. Besides, administrative reforms have to be carried out and investment procedures simplified.”

The two sides would organize promotions in the city to attract investments to the province from foreign and domestic companies, he said.

“The cooperation [aims] to reduce the wealth gap between localities. “It stems not only from the two sides’ developmental needs but also, more importantly, from the duty of the city’s Party and people. “Soc Trang has nearly 500,000 Khmer families, 30 percent of them poor. Therefore, our joint care and help for them to improve their lives is very meaningful.”

During the visit, some other agreements were also signed between agencies and companies belonging to the city and two provinces.