Achievements of cooperation over the past 20 years

Identifying regional cooperation and foreign relations, and international integration as important tasks for the development of Can Tho city. Over the past 20 years, the city's regional cooperation and foreign relations, and international integration have become increasingly in-depth and substantive.

On December 31, 2023, President Vo Van Thuong awarded the First-Class Labor Order to the Party Committee, government, and people of Can Tho City at the ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Can Tho City as a centrally-governed city (January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2024). (Source: VNA)

Regional cooperation and linkages are becoming increasingly in-depth.

Over the past 20 years, the city has closely coordinated with localities in the region to implement joint development activities, creating cohesion between localities, closely coordinating in reviewing and developing regional and city-level planning according to the Planning Law, building a database system for the key economic region of the Mekong Delta, identifying a list of key projects in the region, especially inter-regional transportation and irrigation infrastructure projects, developing sub-regional programs and projects related to climate change, water security, and promoting the economic development of localities.

As a result, linkages and cooperation between the city and other provinces and cities in the region have continuously improved. Areas of linkage and cooperation focus on many important sectors that are strengths of the region and align with new development trends, such as processing industries, high-tech agriculture, trade and services, information and communication, culture, sports, and tourism.

Furthermore, the city's hosting of the Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum creates an effective bridge for regional linkages, promoting cooperation programs between provinces and cities within the region, with provinces and cities nationwide, and fostering a common voice with central ministries and agencies. This is based on more effectively utilizing the available resources of each locality and the region, boosting cooperation in trade and tourism promotion, and providing information channels and advice on mechanisms and policies, creating favorable conditions for the region's strong and sustainable development.

Despite achieving many outstanding results and bringing about positive changes, the reality shows that the linkages and cooperation with localities in the region have not been highly effective, remaining at the level of agreements without successful implementation of work, programs, or projects that yield concrete results, and failing to fully exploit and develop the potential and strengths of each locality.

Foreign affairs and international integration

Besides regional cooperation and linkages, the city has focused on promoting foreign relations and international integration, achieving high effectiveness. In recent times, the city has welcomed many high-level international delegations and organized numerous major events; successfully organized many investment and trade promotion activities in other countries and within the city. Furthermore, the city has actively organized and participated in over 500 conferences, seminars, and forums promoting international investment and trade, as well as cultural and commercial exchange events, both in person and online.

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 Compact 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 where the city attracts significant international attention.

Furthermore, during its participation in international organizations, the city proactively proposed and received advisory support for the implementation of several activities and projects within the framework of these international organizations, such as: developing an action plan to respond to climate change, assessing the city's resilience to flooding and environmental pollution through the development of green infrastructure, evaluating the resilience of key product value chains; surveying and assessing greenhouse gas inventories, the startup and innovation ecosystem; and a series of activities titled "Community Action for a Sustainable City" to improve public spaces, raise community awareness about the environment, and create playgrounds for children…

Over the past 20 years, the city has signed 124 memoranda of cooperation with foreign partners in the fields of education, construction, technology, environment, and socio-economic development; attracting more than 40 foreign non-governmental organizations to implement approximately 50 non-governmental projects in areas such as healthcare, education, rural clean water, and climate change response.

At the same time, the city closely coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, central ministries and agencies, and diplomatic missions of foreign countries in Vietnam to successfully organize many events and conferences, including the Japan-Mekong Delta Regional Meeting, the Japan-Mekong Investment and Trade Forum, the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Canada, the Cambodian Culture Week, the Vietnam-Korea Culture Day, and the meeting commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Korea, and Indonesia Day in Can Tho city...

Future directions

In order to further build upon the achievements made and promote regional cooperation, foreign relations, and stronger international integration, making a significant contribution to the city's development in the new phase, the Can Tho City government has set forth several directions for this area of ​​work as follows:

Firstly, we must strengthen and diversify foreign relations activities, enhance the effectiveness of economic diplomacy in conjunction with political and cultural diplomacy, and creatively and flexibly apply various forms suitable to the city's practical conditions. We must accelerate and effectively implement international commitments and agreements. We must promote the establishment and expansion of cooperative relations with new partners in a multilateral and diversified manner; and improve the quality and effectiveness of investment promotion activities in the city through coordination with central ministries and agencies, and foreign diplomatic missions in Vietnam to organize programs and events such as commemorative activities for the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and other countries.

Secondly, strengthen linkages and cooperation with provinces in the Mekong Delta region, Ho Chi Minh City, and other provinces and cities nationwide. Proactively propose suitable cooperation options and areas based on the principles of voluntariness, mutual respect, and mutual benefit, while leveraging the city's role as a regional center and the potential and strengths of each locality. Develop a modern information collection and processing center, applying new technologies to the Mekong Delta region, to serve the goals of regional development and management.

Thirdly, facilitate cooperation between universities, scientific and technological research organizations, scientists within and outside the region and abroad, with businesses, professional associations, educational and training institutions, scientific research agencies, and agricultural cooperatives and production groups in the research and application of science and technology, promoting the socio-economic development of the city and the region. Coordinate closely with the Ministry of Transport and relevant ministries to focus investment resources on building roads under the city's management. Call for investment in the construction of large logistics 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 making decisions on inter-regional infrastructure investment within the framework of cooperation; enhance cooperation and connectivity between ministries and agencies with local governments with strong commitments linked to the responsibilities and actions of each agency and organization at all levels; and strongly link with provinces in the Mekong Delta region, between the region and Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast region.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/can-tho-thanh-tuu-hop-tac-trong-20-nam-qua-256229.html