A conference was held in Can Tho on July 14 to review the 10-year implementation of the Party Politburo’s Resolution 21 on orientations, tasks and solutions for socio-economic development and ensuring national security and defense in the 2001-2010 period.

The conference was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and leaders from the Steering Committee of the Southwestern Region and centrally-run ministries and sectors.

Over the past ten years, the Mekong River Delta region has made drastic changes in socio-economic development thanks to the improved investment environment and higher provincial competitiveness index.

The regional economic restructuring is now on the right track with the proportion of agriculture, forestry and fishery in GDP dropping to 39 percent from 44.92 percent. In the meantime, the industrial and construction sector has attracted a large number of workers, thereby pushing up the industrial value from 23.3 percent to 26 percent, and trade and service from 31.78 percent to 35 percent.

Last year, per capital income in the region posted a 2.5-fold increase over the level recorded in 2001 and 87 percent of people in rural areas had access to safe water.

More attention has been given to social welfare programmes in Hau Giang, Tra Vinh, Ca Mau, An Giang and Dong Thap with the aim of mobilizing more capital for investment, healthcare and human resources development.

In addition, national security and defence has been reinforced in strategic border, sea and island areas to help boost socio-economic development in the whole region.