As a member of the consulting consortium for the Ho Chi Minh City Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision toward 2050, a representative of ACUD Consult actively contributed ideas during the meeting to initiate the development of the Master Plan.

On the afternoon of August 15, Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, chaired the meeting of the Steering Committee for the Ho Chi Minh City Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision toward 2050. Representing ACUD Consult, Mr. Bach Ngoc Tung, as a member of the consulting consortium, participated and shared his contributions.

Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, chaired the meeting.

At the meeting, leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment (DPI) reported that the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has recently directed the implementation of tasks related to the city’s planning process. This includes prioritizing and allocating funding for planning tasks, reorganizing members of the Project Management Board for planning, organizing conferences and workshops to initiate the planning process, and conducting tenders to select consulting firms.

The DPI has also provided recommendations on accelerating the progress of the city’s planning process to ensure the content is completed and submitted to the Provincial Planning Appraisal Council for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, by the end of 2023. Additionally, efforts are being made to submit the plan to the Prime Minister for approval by early March 2024.

To provide a foundation for supplying data to the consulting units preparing the city’s plan, reducing the time needed for plan development, and avoiding additional costs from repeated revisions, the DPI, along with the Department of Home Affairs, has been instructed to promptly submit to the HCMC People’s Committee a comprehensive plan for reorganizing districts and communes for the 2023–2025 and 2026–2030 periods. This will provide essential data for integrating these components into the city’s overall planning.

To ensure the planning process stays on schedule, Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, Phan Van Mai, instructed relevant agencies and units to prioritize and proactively work towards completing the planning dossier for submission to the appropriate authorities. The aim is to announce the city’s planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, by March 2024.

Additionally, the city is concurrently working on its master plan for the period up to 2040, with a vision to 2060 (urban planning). To meet this timeline, Chairman Mai emphasized the need for close coordination among agencies to avoid wasting time and resources.

Chairman Phan Van Mai acknowledged that HCMC has strong consulting firms but emphasized that the city itself must take the lead in the planning process. He highlighted the need for HCMC to assume a proactive role, establish a determined mindset, and work collaboratively with consulting units. “The general spirit is that all departments, districts, and agencies must actively provide information and engage with the consulting units preparing the plan. Each sector and locality must clearly articulate their expectations, suggestions, and requirements for the city’s planning through 2030, with a vision to 2050,” he stated.

Mr. Bach Ngoc Tung – Director of ACUD Consult, representing the consulting unit, contributed his opinions at the meeting.

Decision No. 642/QD-TTg dated May 26, 2022, approving the mission of formulating the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Master Plan for the 2021–2030 period with a vision to 2050, states: The formulation of HCMC’s master plan must ensure alignment, consistency, and synchronization with the objectives and orientations of the national socio-economic development strategy for the 2021–2030 period, the national five-year socio-economic development plan for 2021–2025, the national strategy on green growth and sustainable development, and international treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory, as well as compliance with the national-level planning framework as prescribed by the law on planning.

At the same time, the city’s master plan must align with the vision for 2050, where HCMC is envisioned as a smart city with a development level comparable to major cities in Southeast Asia and Asia. It aims to achieve breakthroughs in productivity, quality, efficiency, and economic competitiveness based on a modern economic structure, high-quality human resources, and innovation as the core. The plan also envisions a high level of scientific and technological advancement and an enhanced standard of living for the city’s residents.

Experts and representatives of the consulting unit took a commemorative photo.