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| On December 31, 2023, President Vo Van Thuong awarded the First Class Labor Medal to the Party Committee, government and people of Can Tho city at the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Can Tho city under the Central Government (January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2024). (Source: VNA) |
Regional cooperation is increasingly going into depth.
Over the past 20 years, the city has closely coordinated with localities in the region to carry out development linkage activities, create connections between localities, closely coordinate in reviewing and developing regional and city planning according to the provisions of the Law on Planning, build a database system for key economic regions in the Mekong Delta, identify a list of key projects in the region, especially inter-regional transport and irrigation infrastructure projects, build sub-regional programs and projects related to climate change, water security, and promote local economic development.
Thanks to that, the connections and cooperation between the city and the provinces and cities in the region are constantly improved. The areas of connection and cooperation focus on many important areas, which are the strengths of the region, in line with new development trends such as processing industry, high-tech agriculture, trade - services, information and communication, culture, sports and tourism...
In addition, the city's hosting of the Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum creates an effective bridge for regional connectivity, promotes cooperation programs between provinces and cities in the region, with provinces and cities nationwide, and has a common voice with central ministries and branches on the basis of more effectively exploiting available resources of each locality and region, promoting cooperation in trade and tourism promotion; providing information channels, consulting on mechanisms and policies, creating favorable conditions for the region to develop strongly and sustainably.
Although many outstanding results have been achieved, bringing about positive changes, the reality shows that the association and cooperation activities with localities in the region have not brought about high efficiency, still stopping at agreements without successfully implementing work, programs, and projects that bring specific results, and have not exploited and promoted the full potential and strengths of each locality.
Foreign affairs, international integration
In addition to regional cooperation, the city has focused on promoting foreign affairs and international integration activities and achieved high efficiency. In recent times, the city has welcomed many high-ranking international delegations as well as organized many major events in the area; successfully organized many investment and trade promotion activities in other countries and in the city. In addition, the city has actively organized and participated in over 500 conferences, seminars, and talks on international investment and trade promotion, cultural and trade exchange events in direct and online forms.
Specifically, the city has joined three international organizations: 100 Resilient Cities in September 2016, the International Association of French-speaking Mayors (AIMF) in December 2018 and the Global Agreement of Mayors on Climate and Energy (GCoM) in February 2019. Accordingly, activities focus on areas such as urban management and development, climate change, environment, education, health, culture, cybersecurity, etc. These are areas in which the city attracts much attention from the international community.
In addition, during the process of participating in international organizations, the city proactively proposed and received consulting support to implement a number of activities and projects within the framework of the fields of international organizations such as: developing an Action Plan to respond to climate change, the city's resilience to flooding and environmental pollution through developing green infrastructure, assessing the resilience of key product value chains; surveying and evaluating greenhouse gas inventories, startup and innovation ecosystems; a series of activities "Community Action for a Sustainable City" to improve public spaces, raise community awareness of the environment and create playgrounds for children, etc.
Over the past 20 years, the city has signed 124 memorandums of understanding with foreign partners in the fields of education, construction, technology, environment, socio-economics; attracted more than 40 partners who are foreign non-governmental organizations to implement about 50 non-governmental projects in the fields of health, education, rural clean water, climate change response, etc.
At the same time, the city closely coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, central ministries, branches and diplomatic representative agencies of countries in Vietnam to successfully organize many events and conferences, including the Mekong Delta Japan Meeting, Japan - Mekong Investment and Trade Forum, the 45th Anniversary of Vietnam - Canada Diplomatic Relations, Cambodia Cultural Week, Vietnam - Korea Cultural Day and Meeting to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Vietnam - Korea Diplomatic Relations, Indonesia Day in Can Tho City...
Future direction
In order to continue promoting the achievements and promoting regional and foreign cooperation and international integration more strongly, contributing significantly to the city's development in the new period, the Can Tho city government has proposed many directions for this field of work as follows:
Firstly, promote the implementation and diversification of foreign affairs activities, improve the effectiveness of economic diplomacy in conjunction with political diplomacy and cultural diplomacy, apply creatively and flexibly in many forms suitable to the practical conditions of the city. Accelerate and effectively implement international commitments and agreements. Promote the establishment and expansion of cooperative relations with new partners in the direction of multilateralization and diversification of relationships; improve the quality and effectiveness of investment promotion activities in the city through coordination with central ministries, branches, and foreign diplomatic missions in Vietnam to organize programs and events such as activities to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and other countries.
Second, strengthen links and cooperation with provinces in the Mekong Delta region, Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities nationwide. Proactively propose appropriate cooperation plans and areas based on the principles of voluntariness, mutual respect and mutual benefit on the basis of promoting the role of the city as a regional center and the potential and strengths of each locality. Build a modern information collection and processing center, apply new technology to the Mekong Delta region, serving the development and management goals of the region.
Third, facilitate cooperation between universities, scientific and technological research organizations, scientists in the region, outside the region and abroad, with enterprises, professional associations, educational and training institutions, scientific research agencies and cooperatives, agricultural production groups in research and application of science and technology, promoting socio-economic development of the city and the region. Closely coordinate with the Ministry of Transport and related ministries and sectors to focus investment resources on building roads managed by the city. Call for investment in building large logistic service centers with good connectivity to ports and major transport routes...
Fourth, further strengthen the role of the city in the Regional Coordination Council in mobilizing and allocating resources, budgets, and inter-regional infrastructure investment decisions within the cooperation framework; strengthen cooperation and connection between ministries, branches and local authorities with strong commitments associated with the responsibilities and actions of each agency and organization at all levels; strongly connect with provinces in the Mekong Delta region, between the region and Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast region.
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