Recently, the Provincial Planning Evaluation Council held a meeting to evaluate the Master Plan for Dien Bien Province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050. During the meeting, the Council unanimously approved the content of the Master Plan for Dien Bien Province and the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the plan with a unanimous vote of 29/29, reaching 100%, contingent upon further additions and improvements.

On October 27, at the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Provincial Planning Evaluation Council convened to assess the Master Plan for Dien Bien Province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Trần Quốc Cường, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee, and Mr. Trần Quốc Phương, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Planning Evaluation Council.

Attendees of the meeting included: Mr. Lê Thành Đô, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dien Bien Province, along with experts, scientists, and leaders of various Ministries, departments, and members of the Provincial Planning Evaluation Council, as well as representatives from several departments and agencies of Dien Bien Province.

From ACUD Consult – a member of S-Group Vietnam – the consulting unit for the planning project, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Lâm, Deputy Director of ACUD Consult, responsible for the planning project, Ms. Trần Thị Thu Hà, Head of the Project Development Department at S-Group, and other specialists attended.

Overview of the Conference. (Photo: Dien Bien Newspaper)

In his opening speech at the meeting, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Tran Quoc Phuong, emphasized: Dien Bien is a province with potential for developing hydropower, forestry, agriculture, and tourism combined with culture. Additionally, Dien Bien plays the role of the “shield” of the nation in ensuring national defense, security, forest protection, and water security; it is home to beautiful landscapes and the historic Dien Bien Phu site known worldwide.

In 2020, GRDP at current prices reached over 20 trillion VND, three times higher than in 2010. However, the GRDP growth rate of Dien Bien is lower than the national average, so the gap between Dien Bien’s GRDP and that of the entire country is widening, placing it in the lowest group in the country, just above Cao Bang and Bac Kan.

Furthermore, Dien Bien faces numerous challenges in economic development, such as: its geographical location being far from the central areas; complex, strongly fragmented terrain; diverse but low mineral resources scattered throughout the province; and low education levels and human resources.

Therefore, the province needs to adopt appropriate solutions in the planning process, aligned with the perspectives and goals of the national master plan, national sectoral plans, as well as reflecting the province’s aspirations for development.

The provincial planning outlines 4 development driving axes for Dien Bien

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of Dien Bien Provincial People’s Committee Le Thanh Do stated: The overall goal by 2030 is to develop Dien Bien into a province with relatively strong economic development in the northeastern midlands and mountainous region; to become a tourism and service hub for the North Midlands and Mountains region.

The development of agriculture and forestry, applying modern science and technology, with high productivity and quality, combined with processing industries and tourism; the digital economy plays an important role in the province’s development; and the development of a synchronized, modern economic and social infrastructure system. Ensuring political stability, national defense and security, and maintaining border sovereignty.

By 2050, the vision is to achieve comprehensive development in all aspects—economic, social, and environmental; to be a relatively developed province in the country, a national historical-cultural-ecological tourism hotspot with international stature; where people have good income, quality of life, and happiness; with an advanced culture rich in national identity. Ensuring national defense and security, maintaining border sovereignty, and fostering the great unity of the nation’s people.

At the meeting, Mr. Tran Quoc Cuong, Member of the Central Party Committee, Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee, on behalf of Dien Bien province, continued to receive feedback from the members of the Provincial Planning Appraisal Council and emphasized: Dien Bien province develops its plan based on its potential and advantages, as well as the national general planning and regional and neighboring provinces’ plans; while considering the factors of national defense, security, and foreign affairs, especially in the strategic area in the northwest of the country.

Mr. Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Planning Appraisal Council, chaired the meeting.

Concluding the session, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong evaluated the provincial planning dossier for Dien Bien for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, noting that it generally meets the requirements under the law on planning and environmental protection law. He also requested the province to continue implementing the feedback from the council members and the comments in the draft report for the appraisal of the provincial planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.

At the meeting, the Appraisal Council unanimously approved the content of the provincial planning for Dien Bien; unanimously approved the strategic environmental assessment content of the provincial planning for Dien Bien, with a 29/29 vote, achieving 100%, subject to additions and improvements; and unanimously approved the content of the draft report for the appraisal of the provincial planning for Dien Bien for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.