Quyết định 287/QD-TTg

DECISION

APPROVAL FOR PLANNING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEKONG DELTA REGION FOR THE 2021 – 2030 PERIOD WITH VISION TOWARDS 2050

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated June 19, 2015; the Law on Amending and Supplementing certain Articles of the Law on Government Organization and the Law on Local Government Organization dated November 22, 2019;

Pursuant to the Law on Planning dated November 24, 2017;

Pursuant to the Law on Amendments and Supplements to several Articles of 11 Laws related to planning dated June 15, 2018;

Pursuant to the Law on Amendments and Supplements to several Articles of 37 Laws related to planning dated November 20, 2018;

Pursuant to the Resolution No. 751/2019/UBTVQH14 dated August 16, 2019 of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, giving explanations about certain articles of the Law on Planning;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 37/2019/ND-CP dated May 7, 2019, specifying the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Planning;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP dated November 17, 2017 regarding the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region on adaptation to climate change;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1163/QD-TTg dated July 31, 2020 on approval for the mandate for planning for development of the Mekong Delta region for the period from 2021 to 2030 with vision towards 2050;  

According to the request of the Ministry of Planning and Investment made in the Letter of Transmittal No. 9453/TTr-BKHDT dated December 31, 2021 and the feedback and explanatory report made in the Official Letter No. 1076/BKHDT-QLQH dated February 22, 2022; the Assessment Report No. 124/BC-HDTDQHV dated December 20, 2021 of the Regional Planning Assessment Council for the 2021 – 2030 period with vision toward 2050.  

HEREIN DECIDES

Article 1. Approval for the planning scheme for development of the Mekong Delta region for the 2021 – 2030 period with vision towards 2050, containing the followings:

I. COVERAGE AND BOUNDARIES OF THE PLANNING SCHEME

1. The region encompasses all of the administrative boundaries of Can Tho city and 12 provinces: Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, An Giang, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau.

2. Offshore waters of provinces: Tien Giag, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang.

II. DEVELOPMENT VIEWPOINTS, VISION AND OBJECTIVES

1. Developmental viewpoints

a) Orient the Mekong Delta region towards the green and sustainable growth associated with the implementation of the Government’s Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP dated November 17, 2017 on the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region on adaptation to climate change; focus on protecting, embellishing and developing the socio-cultural foundation and natural ecosystem; center around “humans”; put water at the core of sustainable development; implement the integrated water resources management approach in the entire basin to ensure the maintenance of living resources for the environment and population; transform livelihood models in sub-regions towards the proactive adaptation to climate change.

b) Turn challenges into opportunities; reform the growth model with a view to increasing efficiency and value, focusing on effectively revitalizing and harnessing resources relating to manpower, science, technology, innovation, urban infrastructure, industrial development and digital transformation.

c) Transform the fragmented and small-scale development model to the centralized one; develop clusters of economic sectors related to agriculture connected with urbanized and industrialized areas to create the remarkable development.

d) Strengthen ties between local jurisdictions in the Mekong Delta; with Ho Chi Minh city and the Southeast region; expand trades with ASEAN member states, especially countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.

dd) Focus on development of infrastructure which is important for the transformation of development models, especially transport, energy, clean water supply, irrigation and social infrastructure.

e) Closely combine the socio-economic development with national defense and security, firmly maintain political stability, social order and safety; concentrate on ensuring food security, water sources, borders, territorial sea and islands.

2. Vision

By 2050, the Mekong Delta region is expected to reach a good growth level in comparison with others in the whole country; become a place worth living for people, an attractive destination for tourists and investors; accommodate prosperous and dynamic residential communities; ensure important wetland ecosystems are preserved and developed; effectively harness and revitalize natural resources and rich and diverse cultural identities for sustainable socio-economic development.

The urban system should be properly distributed and sustainably developed. The synchronous, inter- and intra-regional transport system is expected to develop. Synchronous and modern irrigation, information and communication, power, water supply and drainage infrastructure should be built to meet the requirements of agricultural production transformation, adaptation to climate change and protection against natural disaster. Cultural, educational - training, science and technology, health, physical training and sports facilities should be ranked good when being compared with those nationwide.

3. Development objectives:

a) Overall objectives

Expect that, by 2030, the Mekong Delta region is developed into a sustainable, dynamic and highly productive center for agricultural economy of the country, region and world on the basis of developing a system of hub centers for development of agriculture, economic corridors and dynamic cities with diversified services and industries that have synchronous infrastructure system adaptive to climate change; developing the marine economy, tourism economy; strengthening intra-regional, inter-regional, domestic and international connections; attaching importance to the development of science, technology and innovation; raising the standard of human resources; creating the sustainable living environment and the good living standard for people, and conserving natural resources and ecosystem; maintaining and embellishing the unique and diverse cultural identities of ethnic groups; ensuring political stability, national defense and security.

b) Specific goals

- Regarding environment and ecology:

+ Improve the level of forest cover and increase the forest cover rate to 7.5% by 2030; protect the coral reef, mangrove forests, seagrass beds and lagoon ecosystems to ensure the supply of important ecosystem services for socio-economic development, and proactively prevent and minimize risks of natural disasters, climate change and sea level rise.

+ Reduce pollution during the process of agricultural, industrial and urban development by modernizing wastewater and solid waste treatment technologies, and boosting garbage treatment activities. By 2030, 100% of domestic solid waste and hazardous municipal and industrial waste should be collected and treated.

- Regarding culture – society:

+ In the education – training aspect: Improve the educational level and invest in upgrading facilities of educational institutions; by 2030, strive to raise the percentage of students at all levels and the percentage of solid classrooms to reach the national average.

+ In the labor aspect:

Develop a high-quality and skilled workforce suitable to market needs, especially in key industries in the region. By 2030, the rate of trained/qualified workers is expected to account for 65%, including those obtaining degrees, certificates or other academic qualifications; the proportion of workers in the non-agricultural sector (i.e. service, industry – construction) is expected to make up 75-80%; the unemployment rate of working-age population in cities or built-up areas is expected to be less than 4%.

+ In the healthcare aspect:

Build a healthcare system operating in the entire region with a view to ensuring that it is wide-ranging, modern and effective in order to meet the needs of protecting, caring for and improving the people's quality of life. By 2030, there will be 30 hospital beds; 10 doctors; 2.8 bachelors of pharmacy; 25 nurses per 10,000 population.

+ In the culture aspect:

Incessantly improve the spiritual life of the people, gradually narrowing the gap in cultural enjoyment between urban and rural areas. By 2030, strive for 100% of provinces and centrally-affiliated cities to have all 3 types of cultural institution. Preserve, embellish and develop cultural works, historical and revolutionary relics, and culture of ethnic minorities in combination with tourism development.

- Regarding economic development:

+ Continue to promote the strength of the agricultural economy so that it is oriented towards sustainability and application of high technology; maintain the high added-value proportion of about 20-25% by 2030; make an effective use of free trade agreements to expand its market.

+ Make the economic transition towards industrialization and modernization; gradually shift from the labor-intensive industry to the capital-intensive industry in the economic structure, or from low to medium and high technology which is oriented toward smart technology. By 2030, the proportion of labor-intensive, raw processing, and low-tech industries is expected to decrease to less than 50%; the proportion of capital-intensive, medium and high-tech industries, such as chemicals, textiles, machinery and equipment, electrical appliances, means of transport, account for over 40% of the production value of the manufacturing industry.

+ The economy is expected to grow at an average rate of about 6.5%/year. The size of its economy (GRDP) in 2030 should be 2-2.5 times larger than in 2021.

+ Economic structure: By 2030, the proportion of agriculture, forestry and fishery in the GRDP is expected to be about 20%; the proportion of industry – construction, about 32%; the proportion of services, about 46%; the proportion of taxes and subsidies, about 2%.

- Regarding infrastructure development:

+ Develop the inter-regional and international multimodal transport system with more emphasis placed on promoting its inland waterway advantage. By 2030, invest in developing and upgrading about 830 km of expressways; about 4,000 km of national highways; 04 airports; 13 seaports, 11 clusters of passenger ports and 13 clusters of inland waterway cargo ports.

+ Develop energy infrastructure, preferably renewable energy development, with a view to ensuring active energy balance for the region's development needs.

+ Irrigation infrastructure should be built synchronously to meet the purpose of transforming agricultural production to adapt to climate change in ecological sub-regions, and ensuring proactive flood control, response to extreme flooding situation, and anti-erosion prevention and control.

+ Raise the standard of water supply service, ensure safe water supply; step by step modernize the clean water management, production and trading system. By 2030, the rate of urban population using clean water is expected to account for 98 - 100%; the rate of rural population using clean water from the centralized water supply system is expected to make up 70%.

- Regarding national defence and security:

Invest in completing the border traffic system, increasing traffic connections between international border gates and intra-regional or inter-regional development centers, and infrastructure associated with border and island protection; ensure a close combination between socio-economic development and defense and security reinforcement.

III. ORIENTATIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANTAGED SECTORS

1. Agriculture

a) Make a transition in the agricultural production structure to adapt to natural condition changes amongst three ecological sub-regions:

- The freshwater ecological zone situated in the upstream and central part of the delta (encompassing the provinces and cities, such as An Giang, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Vinh Long, Can Tho, and part of the provinces, such as Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Long An) is expected to develop into a freshwater ecological zone safe from the impact of floods, inundation, and saltwater intrusion; a key area specialised in production of rice, freshwater aquatic products and fruits of the Mekong Delta and the entire nation; create a diversified, modern and sustainable agriculture, taking into account adaptation to extreme flooding, and play its role in regulating, managing and absorbing floods for the Mekong Delta.

- The saltwater – brackish water ecological sub-region distributed in the coastal area (encompassing part of Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Long An provinces): Develop saltwater, saltwater - brackish water aquaculture on the shore and at sea; fishing; restore and develop coastal mangrove forests, as well as protect biodiversity and coastal strips; develop the integrated agro-forestry production system according to the principle that the ecological and organic farming practice is combined with eco-tourism activities; proactively prevent, avoid and reduce risks of natural disaster, climate change and sea level rise.

- The freshwater – brackish water transitional zone amid the delta (encompassing part of Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Long An provinces): Develop the monofarming of brackish-water aquatic products and the crop rotation involving these products and rice or vegetables, depending on seasonal water conditions.

b) Develop three key strategic products: Orient the development of fishery, fruit and rice products towards increasing the proportion of fishery and fruit products and reducing the proportion of rice.

c) Develop high-quality commodity agriculture combined with trade, logistics, eco-tourism services, industry, especially processing industry, and improve the value and competitiveness of agricultural products.

d) Develop agricultural hub centers associated with monofarming areas that are connected with cities that act as regional and sub-regional centers and national and inter-regional infrastructure nodes; that is a place providing such services as logistics, research and development, training and technology transfer, procurement, deep processing and high technology application with the aim of improving the value and competitiveness of agricultural products, specifically including:

- The general hub center located in Can Tho city which performs the main functions of trade, logistics, research, development, training, technology transfer, deep processing industry, high technology application to add value to agricultural products, especially rice and aquatic products; promotion of logistics services in Hau Giang province to support Can Tho city in fulfilling its role as the logistics center of the Mekong Delta.

- The hub center located in An Giang and Dong Thap province which is associated with the area proving raw materials for production of freshwater aquatic products, fruits, and rice in the freshwater ecological sub-region.

- The hub center located in Kien Giang, Ca Mau and Soc Trang province which is associated with the raw material areas in the coastal sub-regions.

- The hub center located in Tien Giang and Ben Tre province which is associated with the main areas producing raw materials from fruit and vegetable crops.

dd) Develop agriculture in the Mekong Delta in line with the New Rural Development Program and the process of urbanization in sub-regions in order to effectively coordinate and harness resources; strengthen urban-rural linkages in research, training, technology transfer in the agricultural production, and promote trade, logistics services, and connection between agricultural product markets.

e) Promote concentration and accumulation of land to develop into concentrated production areas, large-scale, competitive and highly effective raw material areas, especially high-tech and organic agriculture.

g) Promote scientific and technological researches for application of research findings in such fields as production of plant and animal varieties, feed and processing; multiply the sustainable production practice that helps to protect the environment and ensure conformance to food safety regulations.

2. Industry

a) Develop the industry sector in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner with more emphasis on developing processing and supporting industries in order to improve the value and competitiveness of agricultural products; orient in-depth investments towards export for groups of agro-forestry-fishery processing industries which are attached to areas specialized in production of raw materials, chemicals and mechanical products necessary for agriculture.

b) Improve the concentration and density of industrial parks and clusters on the basis that they are connected with cities, regional, inter-regional or international connected infrastructure systems to improve efficiency and competitiveness.

c) Develop industry using high technology and information technology; maximize the potential of developing clean energy and renewable energy in collaboration with forest and coastal protection.

d) Orientations in development of main industries

- Processing industry:

+ Food processing:  Encourage the development of seafood, fruit and rice processing factories applying advanced and cutting-edge technologies at hub centers and areas with raw material advantages to create high-quality products of economic value for export; invest in building cold storage facilities to support the procurement, transshipment, and transportation of agricultural products at hub centers.

+ Animal feed and aqua-feed processing: Develop a network of animal and aqua-feed processing establishments connected with hub centers and concentrated production areas; build a number of fishmeal processing workshops with advanced technology and equipment in order to reduce the amount of fishmeal imports and feed costs, and encourage involvement of all economic sectors in gradually building large-scale and high-quality product factories; invest in frozen storage facilities, each of which has a capacity of 10,000 tonnes/year.

+ Livestock slaughter and meat processing: Reorganize slaughterhouses with a view to reducing and gradually eliminating manual and small-scale slaughterhouses run by family households and build concentrated slaughterhouses located away from residential areas that are equipped with phytosanitary and environmental health management systems; provide incentive and support policies for enterprises so that they can develop local slaughterhouses and frozen food processing facilities. Build medium-sized canned food processing plants with modern equipment and advanced technology to meet export demands and set in place at industrial parks.

+ Production of wooden products and handicrafts: Focus on developing factories producing household furniture, factories producing artificial boards, plywood; Encourage the development of production of traditional fine art products, such as those made of wood, rattan, bamboo, leaves, sedge mats... to serve local tourism needs in Ben Tre, Kien Giang, Tien Giang and Hau Giang.

- Electric power industry: By 2030, put an end to the development of any additional coal-fired power plants with the exception of coal-fired power plants under construction in Duyen Hai II (Tra Vinh), Long Phu I (Soc Trang), Song Hau I (Hau Giang); focus on developing wind power in Ca Mau peninsula and solar power; build flexible power plants and battery energy storage systems to ensure stable operation of the power system with a high proportion of renewable energy sources; consider developing gas power projects in Bac Lieu, Kien Giang and Long An after 2030.

- Mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic equipment industry: Develop the mechanical engineering industry by investing in value-added phases such as designing, manufacturing molds, manufacturing complex components with high precision; implement projects on sheet metal, steel, aluminum extrusion mills; mechanical engineering projects serving the oil and gas industry; household and auxiliary electronic equipment factories; factories producing agricultural machines, agricultural, forestry and fishery processing machines and equipment; centers for testing of electromechanical and electronic equipment; medical equipment and supplies factories; develop the shipbuilding and ship repair industry for small and medium-sized vessels and other watercraft in Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Kien Giang and Can Tho. Prioritize investments in projects with high technology and production level that use modern technology to meet the requirements of cleaner production, less energy consumption and improve product quality.

- Chemical and chemical product industry: Develop selective chemical and chemical product industries to reduce environmental pollution, promote technological innovation, and improve product quality; invest in the development of pharmaceutical chemistry products to meet the demand for treatment drugs; diversify products, improve quality and design to compete with those available on domestic and foreign markets; encourage the development of fertilizer factories in Ca Mau; invest in improving quality, lowering production costs, diversifying specialized fertilizers with high nutritional content, less environmental pollution, reduced washout...; study investment in production of microbial organic fertilizers made from locally available domestic waste and peat.

- Building material production industry: Boost the production of new, energy-saving, green and clean materials according to the national planning scheme for exploration, extraction, processing and use of minerals as construction materials. Rearrange sand mining facilities to ensure that they do not cause any increase in the risk of riverbank and coastal erosion; to protect natural resources, and traffic and irrigation construction works on river and coastal routes.

3. Orientations in development of services

a) Regarding trade

- Invest in the construction of a synchronous system of commercial infrastructure ranging from commercial - service zones, logistics centers to public open markets to effectively support agricultural hub centers; attach importance to building a system of warehouses for storage and preservation of agricultural products to meet the required standards; promote e-commerce and border trade to expand commodity consumption markets and promote the exportation of agricultural products having competitive advantages.

- Enhance affiliation and cooperation between local authorities, cooperatives, associations and businesses to build and consolidate some key brand identities of agricultural products in the Mekong Delta for use in the domestic and international market.

h) Regarding tourism and hospitality

- Develop the Mekong Delta into an international brand for agro-rural tourism, eco-tourism (e.g. countryside, river, landscape, wetlands) and marine tourism through joint effort to develop products and promote that brand; develop Can Tho and Phu Quoc into two international tourist centers and gateways to welcome visitors throughout the whole region.

- Develop national and regional tourist sites and attractions in harmony with protecting natural ecosystem and preserving cultural - historical values, including: National tourist areas like Phu Quoc, Nam Can - Ca Mau Cape, Tram Chim - Lang Sen, Sam Mountain, Thoi Son; National tourist spots: Ong Ho Island, Cao Van Lau Memorial Area, Ninh Kieu Wharf, Ba Om Pond, Ha Tien, Van Thanh Temple, etc.

- Develop intra-, inter-regional, national and international tourism routes with more emphasis on developing inter-regional tourist routes connected with Ho Chi Minh city, Can Tho city, Phu Quoc, Ca Mau; the southern coastal corridor (Thailand - Cambodia - Rach Gia - Ca Mau) and the international road border gates distributed at Ha Tien (Kien Giang), Tinh Bien (An Giang), Dinh Ba, Thuong Phuoc (Dong Thap) and Binh Hiep (Long An); Sea routes and river routes along Tien and Hau rivers connected with Phnom Penh, Seam Reap (Cambodia).

- Invest in developing a synchronous system of infrastructure and technical facilities to serve tourism synchronously that helps to connect regional, inter-regional and international tourist sites and attractions, especially tourist ports located on Tien and Hau river and cruise ship ports located in coastal provinces.

- Encourage the involvement of all economic sectors in investing in developing tourism. Provide more vocational training programs in tourism services as a way to contributing to a sustainable job transition of rural workers.

c) Regarding services

Focus on promoting the development of logistics services to facilitate the development of production, circulation of domestic goods, import and export activities; develop all kinds of services needed for production activities and for industrial zones or clusters. Improve the quality and diversify entertainment, recreational, shopping, culture-sports, information technology services in category-I and category-II cities that function as the centers of the regions or sub-regions. Develop Can Tho city into a commercial and service center of the Mekong Delta.

4. Orientations in development of the marine economy

a) Develop gas, gas processing, gas power and renewable energy industries; protect mangrove ecosystem in parallel with guarding coast, preventing and reducing disaster risks, and adapting to climate change and sea level rise.

b) Develop Kien Giang into a national center for development of the marine economy; develop Phu Quoc into a strong international marine eco-tourism and service center.

c) Boost aquaculture and fishery production in coastal areas towards modernity and sustainability; accelerate the transition of concentrated rice-growing areas and other livelihood models of low economic value to aquaculture; develop seafood processing industry, logistics service and fisheries infrastructure.

d) Regenerate aquatic resources and protect marine biodiversity.

IV. PLANS FOR MOBILIZATION, HANDLING, SELECTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES NEEDED FOR DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REGION

1. Developmental corridors

a) Urban – industrial economic corridor extending from Can Tho city to Long An province: Plan to accelerate urbanization and industrialization along the North - South expressway to the west, namely the section My An (Dong Thap) - Duc Hoa (Long An); the North - South expressway to the east, namely the section Can Tho - Ben Luc (Long An), and the area along the inland waterway transport corridor extending from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho; strengthen socio-economic development ties between the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh city and the Southeast region.

b) Tien – Hau riverside corridor:  This is expected to be developed into an economic corridor, cultural space, biodiversity corridor, river and landscape space with particular identity and characteristics of the region; plan to develop rice, fishery and fruit production clusters associated with eco-cities on both sides of the rivers in order to promote specialization and modernization of agriculture; develop ecotourism in parallel with conserving and promoting distinctive tangible and intangible cultural heritages in the Southwest region. Implement the long-term plan to develop it into a strategic city that emerges as a counterbalance to Ho Chi Minh city, has great potentials and is involved in international connections and trades in terms of inland waterway and maritime transportation modes.

c) Coastal economic corridor running past coastal provinces like Long An, Ca Mau and Kien Giang is expected to concentrate on developing renewable energy, aquatic, marine fishery production and tourism development clusters, and beach or island cities.

d) Border corridor extending from Long An province to Kien Giang province: Develop the bordergate-based economy associated with maintaining national defence and security.

2. Dynamic development sub-regions

a) Develop Can Tho into a modern, civilized and ecological city imbued with the identity of the river-based culture in the Mekong Delta; a center of the entire region in terms of services, trade, tourism, logistics, processing industry, high technology-powered agriculture; education and training; specialized health, science and technology, culture and sports; a nucleus city of ​​the Mekong Delta; a gateway connecting the region with the globe; strengthen the connection of transport infrastructure between Can Tho city and local jurisdictions in the region in order to ensure public accessibility to high-quality services reaching the regional and international standard.

b) Develop the central quadrangle area of ​​the region, including such cities as: Can Tho, Long Xuyen, Cao Lanh, Vinh Long, which is the convergence node of important development corridors and transport corridors in the region.

c) Develop agricultural hub centers connected with the system of category-I cities that play the role of general or specialized centers of the region and sub-regions.

d) Link Phu Quoc with other beach and island cities so that they become one of important development poles of the marine economy in the national marine space.

V. ORIENTATIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES, RURAL AREAS AND FUNCTIONAL SITES

1. Orientation in development of cities

a) Cities should be reasonably distributed in built-up areas situated along the main development corridors in the region.

b) Develop category-I and category-II cities into those adopting the model of ecological, compact and concentrated urban area in accordance with the master plan on development of cities and rural areas in the period of 2021 - 2030 with vision towards 2050.

c) Cities that are developed into general and specialized centers of the region and sub-regions, including:

- Can Tho city which is a category-I city directly under the central government; an administrative, service, commercial, healthcare, education - training, science - technology, cultural, tourism and processing industry center in the entire region; provides high-quality health and education services so that it can compete with others at the national, regional and international level.  

- My Tho city that plays its role as one of the trading, logistic service, tourism and holiday-making  service center situated to the North of the Tien river; a gateway connecting Ho Chi Minh city and the Mekong Delta; a hi-tech fruit and rural or countryside tourism center.  

- Tan An city that plays the role of an industrial, trading and service center situated to the Northeast of the Mekong Delta; a gateway city connecting Ho Chi Minh city and the Mekong Delta.  

- Long Xuyen city that plays the role as one of the trading and service centers situated to the Northwest in the Mekong Delta; a center for transfer of hi-tech agriculture technologies, especially rice and freshwater fish.  

- Rach Gia city that plays the role of a center of the marine economy, trade and service in the coastal area to the west of ​​the Mekong Delta; a center of aquaculture, fishing and export of aquatic products; agro-fishery processing center.

- Ca Mau city that plays the role as a center located within coastal subregions of the Ca Mau peninsula; a national energy, oil and gas service, ecotourism service and fish processing center in the entire region. 

- Soc Trang city that plays the role of the economic center of the East Sea’s coastal sub-region; the center of aquaculture, fishing and export of aquatic products; the center of agro-fishery processing and clean energy industry; the historical and cultural tourism center.

d) Build and develop sustainable island cities to ensure harmony between economic development and the preservation of historical and cultural relics, conservation of marine and island biodiversity, national defense and security; gradually build and perfect infrastructure, and plan to set up the international marine tourism and service center in Phu Quoc.

2. Orientation in development of rural areas

a) Distribute and develop a network of rural residential areas by forming agro-industrial towns associated with hub centers and agro-rural tourism.

b) Develop the spatial typomorphology of rural settlements by taking into account the particular characteristics of each sub-region; preserve and promote the spatial landscape architecture and the river-based cultural identity; increase population density for better access to technical and social infrastructure.

c) Control and limit the construction of concentrated residential spots close to riverbanks and canals that are exposed to high risk of landslides; rearrange the population residing along rivers and canals in association with building new rural areas.

d) Plan and invest in building residential clusters in frequently inundated areas so that they are aligned with people's cultural customs and production conditions; reserve space for flood drainage to ensure human and physical safety for the population.

dd) Focus on upgrading essential infrastructure to ensure the stability of people's lives, especially traffic, electricity supply, water supply, information and communication, health care, and education infrastructure.

e) Conserve and develop traditional trade villages, cultural villages, minority communities, and develop the tourism industry.

3. Orientations in development of functional sites

a) Economic zones and industrial parks

- By 2030, continue to develop regional economic zones and key urban areas in sub-regions, including: Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc special economic zone); Duyen Hai (Dinh An economic zone); Nam Can (Nam Can economic zone); Tan Chau and Tinh Bien (An Giang bordergate economic zone); Ha Tien (Ha Tien bordergate economic zone); Hong Ngu (Dong Thap bordergate economic zone); and Kien Tuong (Long An bordergate economic zone).

- Renovate and improve existing industrial parks; encourage the establishment and expansion of industrial parks and economic zones within development corridors and dynamic development zones. Priority should be given to the development of economic zones and industrial zones in the urban-industrial corridor extending from Can Tho to Long An, and connected with Ho Chi Minh city and the central quadrangle area.

Based on investment needs, regulations on conditions for establishment and expansion of economic zones and industrial zones, and the planning of the Mekong Delta region, the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally run cities shall determine plans for the development of economic zones and industrial zones as part of the planning scheme of the entire province.

b) Tourist areas

Develop national and regional tourist sites and attractions in harmony with protecting natural ecosystem (e.g. mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, etc.) and preserving cultural - historical values, including: National tourist areas like Phu Quoc, Nam Can - Ca Mau Cape, Tram Chim - Lang Sen, Sam Mountain, Thoi Son; National tourist spots: Ong Ho Island, Cao Van Lau Memorial Area, Ninh Kieu Wharf, Ba Om Pond, Ha Tien, Van Thanh Temple, etc.

c) Concentrated production areas

- Freshwater ecological zones: Develop specialized rice-growing areas in combination with flood-based livelihood and freshwater aquaculture.

- Freshwater – brackish water transitional zones: Develop areas for monocropping of fruit trees and vegetables in combination with seasonal saltwater and brackish water aquaculture.

- Saltwater – brackish water coastal areas:  Develop areas for monocropping of aquatic products in a sustainable manner.

VI. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ORIENTATIONS

1. Traffic network

a) Regarding roads

- Expressways: By 2030 with vision towards 2050, the expressway system has a total length of about 1,166 km, including three vertical axes connecting provinces and cities in the region with the Southeast region, and three horizontal axes, to enhance linkages with international border gates:

+ Vertical axes: The Eastern North - South Expressway (Ho Chi Minh city - Can Tho - Ca Mau section) which is about 245 km long with 4-6 lanes; the Western North-South Expressway (Duc Hoa - Rach Soi section) which is about 180 km long with 6 lanes; Ho Chi Minh City - Tien Giang - Ben Tre - Tra Vinh - Soc Trang Expressway which is about 150 km with 04 lanes.

+ Horizontal axes: Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang Expressway which is about 191 km long with 6 lanes; Ha Tien (Kien Giang) - Rach Gia - Bac Lieu Expressway which is about 212 km long with 4 lanes; Hong Ngu (Dong Thap) - Tra Vinh Expressway which is about 188 km long with 4 lanes.

- National highways:

+ Focus on upgrading and renovating the main national highway system, especially priority given to a number of national highways connected with localities where no expressway is available, including: national highway N1; national highway 1, national highway 50; highway 60; national highway 61C; national highway 62; national highway 30; national highway 80; national highway 91; national highway 63; road located to the South of Hau river; Quan Lo street. The entire road system has an estimated total length of about 1,815 km and the planned size (i.e. grade/lane IV-II, 2 - 6 lanes). The stable operation of secondary national highways which have the total length of about 2,351 km (grade/lane IV-III, 2-4 lanes) should be maintained.

+ Conduct reviews to invest in and improve bridges on existing primary and secondary national highways with limited load-bearing capacity and the unsatisfactory clear height in order to improve the transport efficiency throughout the entire network in the region; step by step modernize the management and maintenance system for bridge structures, and improve the operational efficiency throughout the entire network.

- Coastal road route: Locally-invested coastal road route should ensure compliance with the road planning for the period of 2021 – 2030 with vision towards 2050; is expected to pass through Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang province with total length of about 788 km.

- Inter-provincial roads: Develop a number of axes that are connected to major transport hubs and industrial parks, and help to promote trade, investment and development between provinces in the region, including:

+ Khanh Binh - Cho Moi (An Giang) - Lap Vo (Dong Thap) route, about 85km long.

+ An Giang - Kien Giang - Hau Giang route extending from National Highway N1 to National Highway 61C, about 130km long.

+ Tien Giang - Long An route connected to National Highway 50 leading to Ho Chi Minh city, about 30 km long.

+ Sa Dec (Dong Thap) - O Mon (Can Tho) - Giong Rieng (Kien Giang) route, about 77 km long.

- While planning, designing and building road traffic routes, it is necessary to calculate and arrange sluices and dams meeting flood drainage, natural disaster prevention and control requirements; study the plans to combine sections of national highways and coastal roads with the system of dikes and saltwater prevention sluices in the process of formulation of the provincial planning scheme to ensure conformity with guidelines for agricultural development in the agricultural ecological sub-regions.

b) Regarding inland waterway:

- Transportation corridors: Concentrate on investing in the development of inland waterway infrastructure in order to bring into full play the potentials and advantages of the region; increase the market share of container transport with importance attached to connecting the regional hub centers through the main waterway transport corridor, namely Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho - Ca Mau (the estimated volume of about 99 ÷ 105 million tonnes); Ho Chi Minh city - An Giang - Kien Giang (the estimated volume of about 55.2 ÷ 58.5 million tonnes); water transport corridor connected with Cambodia via Tien river or Hau river (the estimated volume of about 12.7 ÷ 15.3 million tonnes) and coastal water transport corridor from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang (the estimated volume of about 62.5 ÷ 70 million tonnes). The technical grades of primary inland waterway routes on transport corridors in the region plan to reach grade IV or higher by 2030.

- Inland waterway infrastructure: Develop 13 clusters of cargo ports to ensure the estimated total throughput of cargo is above 53 million tonnes/year; 11 clusters of passenger ports to ensure the estimated total throughput is 31 million passenger arrivals and departures/year. The system of special-use ports developed to meet the transport needs should directly serve and conform to the planning scheme of economic zones, industrial parks, plants for manufacturing, building and repair of transport equipment, processing of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products.

- Regarding the development of locally-run inland waterway infrastructure: Arrange and develop inland waterway ports and terminals on local waterway routes and passenger ports, special-use ports and inland waterway terminals on national waterway routes specified in the provincial planning scheme in accordance with the spatial arrangement and functional zoning with a view to ensuring consistency, uniformity and compliance with the planning of port clusters.

c) Regarding maritime infrastructure

- By 2030, seaports in the region are expected to meet the demand of throughput of cargo from 64 to 80 million tonnes (container cargo from 0.6 to 0.8 million TEU); passengers from 6.1 to 6.2 million of passenger arrivals and departures; by 2050, meet the demand of throughput of cargo at an average growth rate of about 5.5 to 6.1%; of passengers at an average growth rate from 1.1 to 1.25%.

- Category-I seaports, including: Can Tho, Tra Vinh and Long An seaport. Category-II seaports, including: Dong Thap and Hau Giang seaport. Category-III seaports, including: Vinh Long, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Soc Trang, An Giang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau seaport. Tran De wharf area (Soc Trang seaport) plans to become a potential special seaport playing the role of a gateway port in the Mekong Delta. Hon Khoai Wharf (on Hon Khoai Island) plans to become a conditionally potential general port, depending on the investor’s needs and capacity.

- Upgrade, renovate and maintain shipping channels in the region to ensure that they are in stable working condition and in line with the operational capacity of the seaport system, with more emphasis on renovating and upgrading main channels, including shipping channels designed for large seagoing vessels entering Hau river, Tran De shipping channel.

d) Regarding railway infrastructure

By 2030 with vision to 2050, the railway network in the Mekong Delta is expected to include 01 rail track connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Can Tho with a length of about 174 km and a gauge of 1,435 mm.

dd) Regarding air transport infrastructure

- Phu Quoc International Airport is expected to play the role of an airport serving international and domestic visitors. Can Tho International Airport is the hub center for the development of airline logistics in the region. Rach Gia and Ca Mau Airports, in addition to being domestic airports, also act as flight training and coaching centers.

- By 2030, the expected scales of airports will be as follows:

+ Can Tho International Airport: Grade 4E; throughput capacity of 1.0 million passenger arrivals and departures/year.

+ Phu Quoc International Airport: Grade 4E; throughput capacity of 10 million passenger arrivals and departures/year.

+ Rach Gia International Airport: Grade 4C; throughput capacity of 0.5 million passenger arrivals and departures/year.

+ Ca Mau International Airport: Grade 4C; throughput capacity of 1 million passenger arrivals and departures/year.

- Research and develop a network of specialized airports meeting personal, tourist, rescue and emergency flights in several potential areas, such as Phu Quoc, Chau Doc, Ha Tien, Nam Can, My Tho, Dong Thap, Tran De...

e) Regarding multimodal traffic connections

- Concentrate on solving bottlenecks and deadlocks concerning the clear height on the national inland waterways; speeding up the implementation of container port construction projects in key development hubs; investing in a system of loading and unloading or handling equipment at inland waterway ports playing the role of satellite berths or intermediate cargo collection terminals of seaports.

- Connection between roads and seaports: Prioritize investments in road sections behind the ports to ensure that they have identical technical level and are easily connected with the national traffic network.

2. Power supply system

a) Develop power sources and grids in accordance with the electricity development master plan for the period of 2021 - 2030 with vision to 2045 and the national master plan on energy for the period of 2021 - 2030 with vision to 2050.

b) Regarding power sources

Prioritize the rational development of power generated from renewable energy, ensuring the highest overall economic efficiency of the national power system; develop thermal power plants at an appropriate rate in line with the supply and distribution capacity of raw materials, associated with the implementation of Vietnam's commitments at the COP26 summit.

c) Regarding power grids

- Build and upgrade the power grids so that they gradually meet the technical standards of the transmission grids and can distribute power throughout the territory of the Mekong Delta. Significant power grid projects, including:

+ 500 kV transmission line construction project: Tay Ninh - Dong Thap - Thot Not, Thot Not - Bac Lieu, Duyen Hai - My Tho - Duc Hoa, Long Phu - O Mon.

+ 220 kV connection line construction project: Dong Thap - Hong Ngu - Chau Doc; and Dong Thap - Cho Moi - Chau Thanh - Hon Dat.

- Build cross-border grid connections between countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region: Promote electrical energy cooperation and exchange, ensure the benefits and safety of the power systems between stakeholders; maintain and strengthen the grid connection with Cambodia through the existing 220 kV transmission line and based on bilateral and multilateral cooperation facilities.

3. Irrigation and water resource management network

a) Develop water resource management systems, adapt operational regulations to the orientation in transition of agricultural production in ecological sub-regions with a view to actively living with floods, saltwater intrusion, adaptation to climate change and sea ​​level rise.

b) Ensure the adequate supply of water for domestic and industrial use. Conduct researches on construction of pipelines supplying water from freshwater areas in the midst of the delta to Ca Mau peninsula and coastal provinces for household and industrial use during the dry season.

c) Uphold traditional solutions to actively store and manage the use of water on site to serve domestic and essential production needs; at dispersed water reservoirs; water saving solutions; dredge main, category-I and II canals to increase water circulation and exchange, enhance irrigation capacity and increase water storage capacity for the dry season.

d) Develop a system of dikes and embankments to protect residential areas, production areas, and structures of great political, socio-economic significance against the impact of land subsidence, sea level rise and the risk of widespread flooding. By 2030, focus on solutions to upgrading and completing the construction of category-I dikes, including sea dykes and embankments along main rivers, to protect critical areas in the region. Category-II dikes that help to protect irrigation systems and category-III dykes that help to protect small-scale inner-field plots should be developed locally according to actual development needs in order to ensure prevention and control of fluvial floods and tides for important agricultural farming areas, urban areas, rural residential areas, industrial parks and other critical infrastructure.

dd) For the annual flooded areas, such as the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, Dong Thap Muoi and the area between two rivers: Operate irrigation structures and dikes towards letting water flow into fields to absorb floods and help locals earn their living during the flooding season; build culverts under dikes and pumping stations if necessary to actively supply and drain water; protect flood drainage space; reinforce dykes, dredge main-axis canals in order to reconstruct the axes for drainage of floods into the West Sea and Vam Co river.

e) Build a system of culverts and dykes along the Tien river (section extending from Chau Thanh district to Cai Be district, Tien Giang province), and along Hau river, Co Chien river and North Mang Thit river in Vinh Long province, in order to control saltwater, retain freshwater, and protect orchards during years of deep saltwater intrusion.

g) For the transitional area situated to the South of Cai Lon river, consider building the sluice and dike system on the south bank of Cai Lon river to control saltwater intrusion; develop operating procedures for Cai Lon - Cai Be sluice system and sluices along the West Sea and the south bank of Cai Lon river in order to proactively supply freshwater and brackish water to the region.

h) For Quan Lo Phung Hiep area, it is necessary to build a system of sluices and dikes along Hau river to control saltwater and enhance the ability to transfer water from Hau river to Ca Mau Peninsula to reduce pollution and supply brackish water to be diluted for aquaculture during the dry season; build small pumping stations for irrigation and drainage purposes.

i) For Nam Mang Thit irrigation system, build a system of culverts and dikes along the south bank of the Mang Thit river to create the close system to actively control saltwater - freshwater, increase self-flowing irrigation, and reduce pollution.

k) In Ben Tre province, build a system of culverts and dikes along Tien, Ham Luong and Co Chien river to create the close irrigation system to the North and South Ben Tre to actively control saltwater - freshwater, increase self-flowing irrigation, and reduce pollution.

l) In coastal areas, build the complete system of water resource management works to actively supply water, control saltwater, build separate water supply and drainage canals or carry out water circulation for fishery production and aquaculture; continue to invest in reinforcing and upgrading sea dykes and breakwaters preventing sand accretion or accumulation in combination with afforestation helping to protect sea dykes and coasts; control groundwater abstraction to limit subsidence.

m) Prevent and control riverbank and coastal erosion; build breakwaters helping to control coastal erosion in critical areas.

n) Build specialized systems for forecast and early alerting of floods and salt droughts, including construction and upgradation of realtime meteorological - hydrological and salinity measurement stations for the entire region.

4. Water supply network

a) Water supply zoning

- Based on topographical conditions, water sources, current situation, spatial development orientation of the region, water consumption demands and needs for development of water supply over stages, 02 water supply zones should be developed as follows:

+ Northeast of Hau river, including provinces: Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap.

+ Southwest of Hau river: Including all of the provinces/cities such as Can Tho, An Giang, Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau.

- Based on water source conditions, water supply areas are classified by the following criteria: Advantage, less advantage and disadvantage criteria serve as a basis to choose appropriate water supply solutions:

+ The area having water source advantages extends to the following provinces: Dong Thap, An Giang; part of Can Tho city.

+ The area having less water source advantages extends to the following provinces: Long An, Tien Giang; part of Vinh Long province and Can Tho city.

+ The area having water source disadvantages extends to such provinces as Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Tra Vinh; part of Vinh Long province.

b) Water sources

- Abstract and use water sources appropriately according to the functional zoning of water sources and orientation in giving water distribution priority in normal, drought and water shortage cases.

- Main water sources meeting domestic and production needs are surface water from Tien and Hau river. In the context of responding to climate change and saltwater intrusion, apply solutions to abstract and transmit raw or clean water sources to ensure satisfaction of water demands, water quality, economic and technical efficiency as prescribed, and meet sustainability requirements.

- Control and limit the use of underground water sources in coastal areas and areas with severe land subsidence; research solutions to replenish groundwater sources, research and evaluate deep aquifers as a reserve source.

- Review and exploit local reserve land, build rainwater storage reservoirs, find more water sources for existing water plants, especially in coastal areas and areas with severe acidity.

c) Regional-scale interprovincial raw water plants and pumping stations

- Regional-scale interprovincial raw water plants and pumping stations: Invest in building 05 regional-scale interprovincial water plants connected with the inter-provincial transmission pipeline system to supply water to areas where water sources are affected by saltwater intrusion or areas facing difficulties in water sources. Capacity, water abstraction location and water supply scope of regional-scale inter-provincial water plants should be expanded according to water demands, climate change scenarios, saltwater intrusion over development stages. Priority-given projects, including:

+ Tien river 1 (Tien Giang province) water plant: Capacity of about 200,000 - 300,000 m³/day and night; Tien river’s water source and other additional water sources adaptable to climate change conditions; water supply range: Tien Giang province and part of Long An province.

+ Tien river 2 (Vinh Long province): Capacity of about 200,000 - 300,000 m3/day and night; Tien river’s water source and other additional water sources adaptable to climate change conditions; water supply range: Vinh Long, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre province.

+ Hau river 1 (Can Tho, Hau Giang province) water plant cluster: Capacity of about 400,000 - 600,000 m³/day and night; water source of Can Tho river, Xa No canal, Hau river; water supply range: Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau province and part of Can Tho city.

+ Hau river 2 (An Giang province) water plant: Capacity of about 200,000 - 300,000 m³/day and night; Hau river’s water source; water supply range: Part of An Giang; part of Vinh Long province and Can Tho city.

+ Hau river 3 (An Giang province) water plant: Capacity of about 100,000 - 150,000 m³/day and night; Hau river’s water source; water supply range: Part of An Giang and Kien Giang province.

- Regional-scale interprovincial raw water pumping stations: Encourage investments in building raw water pumping stations for areas having water source disadvantages and areas having less water source advantages to ensure satisfaction of water demands during the dry season.

d) Water treatment technologies

- The applied clean water treatment technology must be aligned with the scale of the water plant's capacity, the composition and nature of the raw water source; the quality of the treated water that must meet the tapwater quality standards.

- Regional-scale inter-provincial water plants must have large capacity, use advanced and modern water treatment technologies, adapt to climate change and be environmentally friendly; small-scale water plants can use traditional water treatment technologies, be gradually improved according to the management and operational capacity of the water supply units.

- Research and apply brackish and salt water treatment technologies to supply water to islands and residential areas that are affected by saltwater intrusion or unable to be connected to inter-provincial water plants.

dd) Water supply pipelines

Inter-provincial transmission pipelines transmitting clean water or raw water from regional-scale interprovincial water plants to localities must be connected into a ring network by 2030 and ensure safe water supply. At the connection points between the inter-provincial transmission pipeline and the local water distribution pipeline, pumping stations and water tanks need to be arranged to store and stablize water sources.

e) Booster pump stations

Set booster pumping stations in place on inter-provincial transmission pipelines to ensure transmission of adequate water to connection points with distribution pipelines for local water supply. The location, scale and capacity of the booster pumping station should be specified in the investment project formulation phase.

g) When making the provincial planning schemes, provinces in the Mekong Delta region should plan and invest in expanding pipe networks used for supplying water and accessing water sources of the regional-scale inter-provincial water supply network.

- For areas having water source advantages: Continue to use water from existing water plants; invest in the expansion or construction of water plants according to the provincial or local construction planning schemes.

- For areas having less water source advantages: Reconstruct and upgrade existing water plants; invest in building raw water pumping stations. For the water supply development needs increased over planning periods, invest in expanding pipe networks used for supplying water, and accessing water sources of regional-scale inter-provincial water plants. Rural residential areas that have not yet been connected to regional-scale inter-provincial water plants, or are extracting groundwater, should control groundwater quality and keep reserve of groundwater to meet sustainability requirements.

- For areas having water source disadvantages: Invest in expanding pipe networks used for supplying water and accessing water sources of regional-scale inter-provincial water plants. For a number of small cities and rural residential areas that have not yet had access to regional-scale inter-provincial water plants, reconstruct existing water plants or build new ones using suitable brackish water and saltwater treatment technologies.

- For island districts: Invest in water retention reservoirs and dams to create water sources for existing or new water plants; in residential areas, apply appropriate brackish water and salt water treatment technologies.

- Combine solutions to storing and consuming stormwater at public works, offices and households as a source of water for household and other uses.

5. Solid waste treatment and hazardous solid waste treatment facilities

a) Municipal solid waste: Collection and treatment thereof should depend on the capacity of each province.

b) Hazardous waste: Hazardous waste in Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Can Tho, An Giang, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang should be treated by applying the co-firing approach at Holcim cement factory in Hon Chong - Kien Giang. Hazardous waste in Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long and Dong Thap should be transported and treated at the Green Environment Technology Park in Thu Thua, Long An province. Noncombustible waste throughout the region should be transported to the Green Environment Technology Park in Long An for treatment at standard treatment zones in the Mekong Delta and the Southeast region.

c) Facilitate the generation of energy from solid waste.

d) Minimize landfilling to avoid causing pollution; reconstruct insanitary landfills; strengthen inter-provincial cooperation in solid waste treatment to enable the use of modern waste treatment technologies.

6. Telecommunications networks

a) Develop post and telecommunications infrastructure according to the national information and communication master plan for the period of 2021 - 2030 with vision to 2050 towards application of new, synchronous and modern technologies.

b) Align the development of post and telecommunications infrastructure with national defense and security, and cybersecurity in order to contribute to socio-economic development, environmental protection, and inclusive social development towards the sustainable development.

c) Offer all enterprises advantages in participating in the market; develop network infrastructure. Get the private sector involved in construction and development of telecommunications network infrastructure.

d) Prioritize digital transformation in advantaged sectors: agriculture, tourism, logistics development assistance, hub centers, health and education development assistance.

dd) Prioritize the development of the "electronic workbench" model that helps to make connection between different workplaces, and acts as a focal point via which workplaces, citizens/enterprises can share and consolidate most of component applications and data.

7. Ground leveling, surface water drainage

a) Determine zones inflicted by inundation

- 1^st zone that is a zone that is deeply flooded due to impacts of Mekong river floods, each of which is at least 2 meters in depth on average; located to the North and running along the Vietnam - Cambodia boundary, encompassing most of Dong Thap Muoi and Long Xuyen Quadrangle, and located within Long An, Dong Thap and An Giang province.

- 2^nd zone that is a zone that is averagely inundated due to the impacts of Mekong river floods, each of which has the average depth ranging from 1m to 2m approximately, and located within Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long province and Can Tho city.

- 3^rd zone that is a zone that is shallowly flooded due to the impacts of both floods and high tides, and encompasses Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long province, Can Tho city and Hau Giang province.

- 4^th zone that is a coastal zone prone to high tides.

b) Construction foundation height

- In urban areas:

+ In urban areas located within 1^st and 2^nd zone, restrict the development of large urban areas and levelling of large grounds; encourage the development of urban areas in the direction parallel with the flood drainage direction with the intention of reducing flood impacts on urban areas.  

+ In 3^rd zone where the reserve land is large enough for development of large-scale urban areas, encourage the development of concentrated urban area in the form of a compact city; reserve land necessary to dig lakes and get connected to canals to ensure water drainage; construct, reconstruct and well operate dykes that help to prevent tides at estuaries in order to limit the impacts of inundation and saltwater intrusion on urban areas.   

+ In 4^th zone, develop urban areas on plateaus, riverside or seaside alluvial grounds; In high-density urban areas, carry out the concentrated leveling of the entire construction areas.

For high-density construction areas, depending on particular topographical condition, it is possible to use the concentrated leveling approach in the entire construction area, flood control dike approach, or both. For low-density construction areas where the local leveling approach is applied, carry out the concentrated leveling according to the location of construction works only and reserve the remaining land in each functional area for construction of lakes and connection to canals for the purpose of ensuring water drainage in construction lots. Encourage the development of floodproofing construction works and models. Focus on constructing, reconstructing and duly operating tidal dikes at estuaries in 3^rd and 4^th zone in order to limit the impacts of flooding and saltwater intrusion on urban areas.     In nature zones or low-density residential areas, calculate the appropriate frequency of allowed flooding according to prescribed norms, and ensure effective water drainage.

- In rural areas: Carry out the local leveling according to the location of each construction work, and reserve land for construction of lakes and connection with canals, and ensure water drainage.

- In residential areas and industrial parks: The elevation after leveling an area must ensure that it is highly and sustainably safe while the elevation of an embankment should be 0.5m higher than the flood height after taking into account the effects of climate change.

- Within nature zones or low-density residential areas, calculate the appropriate frequency of allowed flooding as per norms in force with the aim of reducing the excavation and earthfilling volume and area, and ensure effective water drainage.

- Strengthen the construction of multi-purpose ecological lakes in the planning scheme and the construction of urban areas and rural residential areas for water, flood retention, environmental remediation, improvement of climatic conditions and entertainment or recreational activities for local residents.

c) Surface water drainage

- In new urban areas: Build separate drainage and sewerage systems to reuse stormwater and ensure cost-effective investments in wastewater treatment.  With respect to old urban areas, improve the general drainage system and select solutions to building culverts with flow separation pits to collect wastewater carried to the centralized urban drainage station, and gradually separate the wastewater drainage system from the stormwater one.

- In suburban and rural residential areas, it is expected that the common drainage system will be used and, before being discharged into the common drainage system, domestic wastewater must undergo preliminary treatment. In the long run, build separate wastewater collection and treatment systems in densely populated areas. 

- Reconstruct and expand canals or channels, and build balancing reservoirs in inner cities, protect and restore green spaces running along existing canals and rivers.

8. Social infrastructure

a) Regarding education – training infrastructure

- Develop Can Tho city into a national and regional education and training center in the Mekong Delta region; develop the university network and expand continuing education institutions and vocational education institutions in provincial-level category-I and category-II urban areas towards focusing on areas of study, such as healthcare, engineering, and technology, to serve the development of advantageous industries in the region in terms of agricultural economy, energy, services and digital economy development.

- Promote research and development activities in the field of agriculture (i.e. aquaculture, rice and fruit crops) at agricultural hub centers by studying and applying high technology, increasing the value of agricultural products, adapting to industry and climate change; focus on affiliation and association between education - training institutions, research institutions and enterprises, and connection with the labor market, in order to build high-quality human resources and meet the development needs of the entire region.

- Invest in physical facilities of education and training institutions to improve educational quality and effectiveness, and promote the lifelong learning of people in the region.

- Build the biodiversity research center in Phu Quoc with orientation towards conducting researches on protection of ecosystems and island biodiversity in line with tourism and community education activities.  

b) Regarding medical and healthcare infrastructure

- Invest in developing high-quality medical examination and treatment capacity for Can Tho central general hospital in order for it to be capable of performing the function of an intensive medical center in the Mekong Delta.

- Invest in the complete construction of regional general hospitals in Kien Giang, Dong Thap and Tien Giang with 500 to 1,000 beds and capability of meeting the medical examination and treatment needs of people in the region by rendering professionally high-quality and modernly technological services.

- Develop general hospitals in provincial cities to ensure that people have easy access to quality and comprehensive hospital care services locally.

c) Regarding culture, sports and physical activity infrastructure

Develop regional cultural, physical activity and sports centers in Can Tho city and category-I urban areas that play the role of regional and sub-regional centers.

VII. ORIENTATION TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; EXPLOITATION AND PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES OF RIVER BASINS; NATURAL DISASTER CONTROL AND PREVENTION; RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE REGION

1. Orientations in environmental protection

a) Orient environmental protection, disaster prevention and response to climate change towards integrating actions, including management and control of environmental pollution (e.g. water, land and air), establishment of real-time environmental quality monitoring systems, transformation of energy production into an eco-friendly activity, and affiliation in ocean plastic waste management, and economical and efficient use of natural resources.

b) Water environment

- Synchronously build separate sewage and rainwater drainage systems in urban areas. By 2030, urban wastewater must be treated to ensure full compliance with national standards before being discharged into the common drainage systems.

- Strengthen coordination amongst provinces upstream and downstream of Mekong river in wastewater treatment.

- Closely monitor treatment of wastewater by aquacultural production areas, factories, small-scale production facilities, trade villages, industrial parks, and industrial clusters, before discharge into the environment according to regulatory provisions; encourage the innovation of new processes and technologies to reduce wastewater.

- Apply improved techniques and practices to address issues related to water quality in the agriculture sector, such as improving water circulation.

- Promote public-private partnership (PPP) investment in wastewater treatment.

c) Biodiversity conservation

- Continue to protect and develop 21 founded nature reserves, 23 newly founded nature reserves, 01 biodiversity conservation facility, 09 important wetlands in An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, Soc Trang and Vinh Long province.

- Establish and operate an inter-provincial biodiversity corridor connected with Ca Mau Cape National Park - Dam Doi bird sanctuary - Thanh Phu - Can Gio biosphere reserve.

- Build important ecological landscape areas connecting U Minh Thuong and U Minh Ha; 7- mountain and Tra Su lowland areas; Dong Thap Muoi low-lying ecological area extending from Tram Chim to Lang Sen.

- Protect and develop important wetlands or high biodiversity areas.

- Maintain and develop existing biodiversity conservation facilities, wildlife rescue stations, marine animal rescue stations and consider establishing more to suit the needs; develop human resources and strengthen necessary resources to assist in performing biodiversity conservation tasks.

2. Orientation in exploiting and protecting water resources and river basins in the region

a) Orientation for functional zoning of water resources

- Shift from the demand-responsive approach to the approach for proactive demand management and allocation based on the capacity of water resources.

- Prioritize the functional zoning of water resources currently in use for main purposes including domestic water supply, irrigation, industry, tourism, services, environmental protection and maintenance of salinity boundaries in the dry/severe dry season.

- Groundwater should be used for the purposes of supplying water for daily life, industrial production and agricultural production purposes according to the water resource carrying capacity; reduce the extraction and use of groundwater in land subsidence prone areas.

- The functions of each river water source, river section, canal or aquifer should be specified in the master plan of the Mekong river basin and the provincial planning schemes.

b) Allocation priority orientation under normal circumstances

- Ensure proper performance of the defined functions of river sections and water sources of the Mekong river system.

- Prefer supplying water for daily, social security and industrial production uses.

- Basically solve any conflict arising from water extraction and use among the main water users on the Mekong River basin.

- Make existing water resources available for different uses, taking into account the impacts of climate change, sea level rise and the extraction and use of water upstream of the Mekong river.

- Manage irrigation systems duly to prevent water pollution and stagnation that degrade surface water quality.

c) Allocation priority orientation in case of droughts or water shortages

- Allocate water supply to meet 100% of household demands.

- Prioritize supply of water for household, social security and highly effective production uses.

- Allocate water, depending on the minimum needs of users.

- Propose plans to reduce water consumption amounts of users according to appropriate rates and order of water allocation priority.

- Regulate water distribution to ensure water security for regions/river basins where water is particularly scarce.

- Promote cooperation and sharing of information and data on Mekong river’s water source.

- Build points of strategic reserve freshwater sources throughout the region; increase the flood and freshwater retention capacity to an appropriate level at localities in the region.

d) Orientation regarding reserve water resources for domestic purposes

- The amount of reserve water can be provided for domestic purposes in case of water pollution incidents or droughts causing water shortages within a defined period (up to 90 days).

- Groundwater should serve as the main reserve water resource.

- Store water during the flood season on field plots in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle and Dong Thap Muoi, national parks, and take advantage of flooded forest areas for water storage.

- Build water reservoirs having the appropriate retention capacity; helping to store water on canals, large river tributaries, small ponds and lakes together with having appropriate solutions for opening and closing of water regulating works; store rainwater for domestic use or in underground tanks.

- Take more measures to artificially replenish groundwater, seek reserve water sources and manage the use of water.

dd) Orientation in development of monitoring and observation system for water resources and water extraction and utilization

- Upgrade and perfect the synchronous, advanced, modern and comprehensive water resource monitoring network, ensuring the connection and sharing of information continuously and consistently from the central to local level.

- Invest in building concentrated and effective monitoring and observation systems for water resources and water extraction and utilization which are suitable to socio-economic conditions over periods of time.

- Train and improve the quality of human resources required for the management and operation of these systems.

e) Orientation in development of water regulating works, extraction, utilization and development of water resources

- Test current regulating structures in some areas where water shortage or scarcity occurs regularly in the dry season.

- Identify areas capable of retaining flood water in the floodplains of Dong Thap Muoi and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, areas capable of storing rainwater in coastal areas and the Ca Mau peninsula.

- Build water reservoirs and study solutions for construction of river or canal-based water storage facilities.

g) Orientation towards water resource protection, remediation of polluted, depleted or exhausted water sources

- The abstraction and use of water must be associated with the protection of water resources, the protection of the functions of water sources, aquatic resources, motion and flow of water currents, lakes and ponds having balancing functions and of biodiversity value.

- Limit the contamination of seriously polluted water sources in residential areas, large urban areas, industrial zones, clusters and economic zones to an acceptable level.

- Control the operation of coastal irrigation systems to ensure water circulation, avoiding stagnant water causing pollution.

- Classify water sources, announce the list of water sources that are polluted, degraded or severely depleted and the list of establishments involved in extraction, utilization of water, or discharge of wastewater into water bodies that leads to pollution, degradation or severe depletion of water resources.

- Improve and restore severely polluted, degraded and depleted water sources with priority given to those in areas playing socio-economic development roles; prevent and impose strict penalties on acts of pollution, degradation and depletion of water resources.

- Synchronously implement projects on protection of groundwater in urban and rural areas.

h) Orientation towards prevention, control and mitigation of waterborne adverse effects

- Strengthen the management of sand, gravel and other mining and river transport activities; riverine activities, such as construction of urban areas, residential areas, and other production activities, which contribute to increase in erosion of river beds and banks.

- Strictly control the abstraction of groundwater for irrigation and aquatic production, especially in the coastal areas of Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau province.

- Determine zones where groundwater extraction is limited in order to ensure that there is no degradation or depletion of water sources, and to prevent and combat land subsidence caused by groundwater overexploitation.

- Rebuild axes for flood drainage into the West Sea and from Dong Thap Muoi into Tien and Vam Co rivers.

- Construct and update climate change scenarios, assess upstream impacts on drought, river bank erosion, soil subsidence and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta.

- Develop maps of freshwater distribution of aquifers and clusters of facilities for creation of water sources of which deposit and quality are enough for long-term extraction; maps of waterborne adverse effects in order to establish inter-sectoral, inter-regional and international coordination mechanisms in preventing, combating and mitigating waterborne adverse effects.

3. Orientation for natural disaster prevention and control and response to climate change in the region

a) By 2030

- Upper delta areas: Actively control floods, respond to extreme floods, and prevent riverbank erosion to protect residential areas, infrastructure, and areas for two-crop rice and aquaculture. Rebuild axes for flood drainage into the West Sea and from Dong Thap Muoi into Tien and Vam Co rivers. Focus on reinforcing the dyke system, dredging canals, channels to increase the ability to proactively collect, hold, drain water, regulate floods and, at the same time, support production and development of other livelihood besides two rice crops. Protect flood drainage space and research on solutions to storing flood water in deep flooded areas to serve water supply in the dry season and other purposes.

- Mid-delta areas: Build complete irrigation systems and works to proactively supply water. Upgrade dykes and embankments used for protecting urban and residential areas; research into design of the network of canals for fruit crops and concentrated aquaculture to ensure water exchange. Invest in projects on prevention and control of erosion of riverbanks, canals, water regulating facilities and dredging of arterial canals to actively store water to meet the requirements of socio-economic development, water supply for economic sectors, and works for transfer of fresh water to coastal areas.

- Coastal areas: Invest in building and perfecting irrigation systems to control water sources for domestic use, proactively supplying fresh and salt water for production and aquaculture purposes. Continue to invest in building, strengthening, and upgrading sea dykes embankments and breakwaters preventing accretion in combination with afforestation for protection of sea embankments and beaches. Limit and rationally use groundwater for household and aquaculture production purposes in order to prevent subsidence and landslides. Apply and transfer technologies for on-site collection, storage and treatment of water for domestic use in case of drought, water shortage, saltwater intrusion, and aquaculture wastewater treatment technologies.

b) Vision towards 2050

Study and develop the flood and inundation risk management strategy for the Mekong Delta that helps to determine flood prevention and control and protection levels for different areas in the entire region in line with the orientation for spatial arrangement of regional development over development phases; that serves as a basis for construction, management and operation of the irrigation infrastructure, natural disaster prevention and control system in the entire region.

VIII. LIST OF PRIORITIZED PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS AND EXECUTION PHASING

Details are given in the Appendix hereto.

IX. SOLUTIONS AND RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLANNING SCHEME

1. Solutions regarding regulatory mechanisms and policies for regional coordination

a) Facilitate the effective implementation of the planning scheme for development of the Mekong Delta region in the period of 2021 – 2030 with vision towards 2050; formulate regulatory mechanisms and policies for investment in the regional infrastructure, especially attraction of investment from the non-state sector for the regional development; establish a system for monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the planning scheme.

b) Research and promulgate incentive mechanisms and policies for development of agricultural value chains and alliance between manufacturing and consumption of key products of the region; perfect regulations and policies on land to encourage concentration and accumulation of land for the large-scale farming of agricultural commodities which is highly competitive and efficient.

c) Continue to improve the coordinating mechanism for the Mekong Delta towards strengthening the role of local jurisdictions in the Coordinating Council of the Mekong Delta, attract the participation of businesses, research and training institutes in coordination activities and formulation of regulations on regional coordination.

d) Adopt a mechanism to encourage businesses, organizations, communities and people to participate in the value chain of production, processing and consumption of key products, and development of agricultural economic clusters in the region.

dd) Continue to improve regulatory institutions on coordination in the Mekong Delta towards increasing decentralization associated with monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of implementation, management and use of resources.

2. Solutions regarding mobilization of investment capital

a) Public-sector investment

- Prioritize funding for regional coordination investment projects identified in the planning scheme. Attract loans from international financial institutions or equity investments from private investors in PPP form.

- Research and expand funding for investment in ecosystem service models in the Mekong Delta with a view to having funding for investment in ecosystem restoration projects.

b) Private-sector investment

Enhance attraction of domestic and foreign private-sector investment; develop a comprehensive promotion strategy, raise the localization rate, increase the rate of domestic value, promote technology transfer to local businesses.

3. Solutions regarding environment

a) Actively integrate into the world, strengthen cooperation with the countries of the Mekong Sub-region on the basis of mutual benefits gained through regional or bilateral cooperation initiatives for effectively and sustainably joint use of water and other relevant resources environmental protection, cross-border nature and biodiversity conservation, and response to climate change in the Mekong River basin.

b) Consider the centralized (regional) management of medical and hazardous waste by using appropriate best available technologies (BAT), encouraging reduction, reuse and disposal of organic waste at source on a small scale in rural areas without any concentrated waste management system.

c) Use modern technologies for basic investigation; economical and efficient management and use of natural resources associated with environmental protection tasks; improve technological capacity in forecasting, monitoring, preventing, responding to and mitigating environmental incidents.

4. Solutions regarding science and technology

a) Promote research, application and transfer of biotechnology; provision of high-quality plant and animal varieties production systems, technical services; processing and exportation of key agricultural products in the region; focus on researching application of high technology to increase the value of agricultural products and improve organic, sustainable, environmentally friendly farming techniques, adapting to extreme floods and drought-inflicted saltwater intrusion.

b) Regarding energy, switch from coal power generation to liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas and renewable energy generation in order to gradually reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrease local pollution and minimize by-product waste from the energy production process.

5. Solutions regarding human resources development

a) Develop human resources necessary for the development of advantageous industries of the region.

b) Increase the attraction of professionally qualified and skilled young workers on the basis of associating activities of hub centers with research institutes and universities inside and outside of the region, international organizations and funds that are interested in prioritizing their investment in the Mekong Delta.

c) Expand education centers in the Mekong Delta in category I and II urban areas that are commensurate with population size and training needs; promote affiliation between domestic, international and regional educational institutions, encourage active cooperation to improve teaching quality to meet practical requirements, develop high-quality human resources to meet the needs of the global digital economy by stimulating foreign investors, potential factors inside and outside the region and strengthening affiliation with reputable vocational education and training institutions in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi.

d) Increase investment in primary and secondary education in rural areas, improve the quality of vocational training through establishing affiliation and cooperation with industrial park management units and employers.

6. Solutions regarding urban and rural development management and control

a) Develop more compact cities to better protect the majority of most of city dwellers from the effects of climate change,

b) Control construction towards better adaptation to climate change to improve efficiency and effectiveness of disaster risk management through applying the multidisciplinary holistic approach at the grassroots level in construction management activities to avoid discrepancy and overlapping between local authorities arising from the process of performance of assigned tasks.

c) Preserve and promote models of settlement communities that are adaptive to climate change and environmentally friendly; research and develop new rural models in the Mekong Delta, and extend them when they are suitable to particular local conditions.

d) Invest in developing infrastructure, improving the quality of social services in rural areas to improve the living standard; adopt more policies for agricultural development and social welfare in rural areas, support farmers who wish to return to the countryside to live, contribute to reducing migration from rural to urban areas, stabilize society and eliminate hunger and poverty alleviation.

7. Solutions regarding implementation and supervision of implementation of the planning scheme

a) The planning scheme should be carried out on the basis of regulatory provisions on public investment, public financial management, and agreed mechanisms and policies for the Mekong Delta, irrespective of mechanisms or policies of single or joint provinces or ministries, or involvement of the private sector and even communities in specific places.

b) The Coordinating Council of the Mekong Delta is responsible for giving the Prime Minister counsels or recommendations about mechanisms, policies, strategies, planning schemes, plans, programs, tasks and projects that are on a regional scale and help to boost regional coordination and sustainable development of the Mekong Delta on adaptation to climate change. Relevant ministries, regulatory authorities and 13 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta are responsible for organizing and supervising the implementation of development policies and investment projects in relevant areas, and submitting reports to the Prime Minister, as well as sending such reports to the Coordinating Council of the Mekong Delta.

c) Complete and operate the regional information system, database and information on natural resources and environment, climate change situation and climate change response activities of the region and local jurisdictions.

Article 2. Implementation

1. The planning scheme for development of the Mekong Delta in the period of 2021 - 2030 with vision towards 2050 is the basis for making provincial planning, urban planning, rural planning, technical or specialized planning schemes in local jurisdictions of the Mekong Delta.

2. Ministry of Planning and Investment

a) Organize and publicize the planning scheme for development of the Mekong Delta in the 2021-2030 period with vision towards 2050.

b) Take charge of, and coordinate with ministries, central and local authorities in, researching and formulating plans, policies, solutions and allocating resources for implementation of the planning scheme.

c) Take charge of, and coordinate with ministries, local and central authorities in, assessing the implementation of the planning scheme; monitor, push towards, supervise and inspect the implementation of the provincial, urban, rural, technical and specialized planning schemes in the region; supervising the implementation of key investment programs and projects that are on a regional scale and of regional nature.

d) Research and propose coordination mechanisms, policies on affiliation and coordination among localities in the region; take charge of, and cooperate with concerned ministries and central authorities in, organizing investment promotion and attraction activities with respect to key projects in the region; propagate and communicate the planning scheme in order to get domestic, foreign investors and entities from different economic sectors involved in the implementation.

3. Relevant ministries and central authorities

a) Implement the planning scheme under their respective jurisdiction.

b) Cooperate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in researching, formulating and seeking the Prime Minister’s approval for plans, policies, solutions and allocating resources for the implementation of the planning scheme; research and counsel competent state agencies to promulgate a number of specific mechanisms and policies in order to effectively carry out the development objectives and orientations set out in the planning scheme.

c) Cooperate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in implementing, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the planning scheme, supervising the implementation of key investment programs and projects of regional size and nature in order of priority under their respective jurisdiction in order to promote the regional socio-economic development.

4. People's Committees of provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region

a) Imperatively draw up the provincial planning schemes to ensure association and conformity with the planning scheme for development of the Mekong Delta in the 2021-2030 period with vision towards 2050.

b) Cooperate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, relevant ministries and central authorities in formulating and seeking the Prime Minister’s approval for plans, policies, solutions and allocation of resources for the implementation of the planning scheme; researching and counseling competent state agencies to promulgate a number of specific mechanisms and policies in order to effectively carry out the development objectives and orientations set out in the planning scheme.

c) Coordinate with ministries and central authorities to organize investment promotion and calling activities to ensure inter-provincial coordination in order to improve investment efficiency, propagate, advertise, and get domestic, foreign investors and different economic sectors involved in the implementation of the planning scheme.

d) Review, evaluate, adjust or draw up planning schemes, plans, investment programs and projects in line with the planning scheme for development of the Mekong Delta in the period of 2021 – 2030 with vision towards 2050.

dd) Take charge of supervising and inspecting the implementation of development investment projects according to their assigned functions, and reporting to the Prime Minister.

Article 3. This decision shall enter into force from the signature date.

Article 4. Minister of Planning and Investment, Ministers, Heads of Ministry-level agencies, governmental bodies, Chairpersons of People’s Committees of centrally-affiliated cities and provinces in the Mekong Delta, and other units concerned, shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.

APPENDIX

LIST OF PRIORITIZED PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
(to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 287/QD-TTg dated February 28, 2022)