Resolution 57/NQ-CP 2022 on the tasks and solutions to complete the institutions on socio-economic region linkage

RESOLUTION

On the tasks and solutions to complete institutions for connectivity of socio-economic regions^[1]

THE GOVERNMENT

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

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 138/2016/ND-CP of October 1, 2016, promulgating the Working Regulation of the Government;

At the proposal of the Minister of Planning and Investment in Report No. 6773/TTr-BKHDT of October 6, 2021, and Report No. 1563/TTr-BKHDT of March 11, 2022,

RESOLVES:

Regional connectivity is an extremely important issue and has received the Party’s instructions in the Documents of the 8^th, 10^th and 11^th National Party Congresses and most recently the 2021-2030 ten-year socio-economic development strategy. Over the past years, the Government, Prime Minister, ministries and sectors have paid attention to and incrementally improved and concretized relevant guidelines and policies to help boost regional connectivity. The stakeholders, including ministries, sectors, localities, the business community, cooperatives, associations, research institutes, training institutions, and family households, etc., have participated more actively in regional connectivity activities. Mechanisms for enforcement of regional connectivity policies have initially brought into play their effect and efficiency.

However, regional connectivity institutions still reveal inadequacies and limitations. Specifically, regional connectivity guidelines and policies have been enforced lately; the role of subjects engaged in regional connectivity activities, especially the central administration, remains dim; and mechanisms for enforcement of regional connectivity policies have not been effective and efficient enough. These limitations have reduced the effect and efficiency of regional connectivity activities, e.g., connectivity agreements remain nominal without involving substantive coordination; economic connectivity activities among localities have not been based on labor professionalization or division in value chains or development of supporting industries; localities in a region have attached importance to development of their connectivity with big cities playing the leading role (such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) but not to the connectivity among localities in the region; regional connectivity has appeared not much in supporting enterprises to form industrial clusters; important region-connectivity contents (such as activities of connectivity in the formulation, implementation, and supervision of implementation of master plans; connectivity in development investment; connectivity in labor training and employment; and connectivity in development of databases on regional and inter-regional information systems, etc.) have not been fully organized.

In order to redress the above-said limitations for achieving higher effect and efficiency of regional connectivity activities and creating new development spaces with higher association and continuity, thus actively contributing to the process of economic restructuring, the Government requests ministries, sectors and localities to take the initiative in and exert efforts to bring into the fullest play their potentials and comparative edges, practice innovation and intensify regional connectivity for national and regional development and, at the same time, to thoroughly grasp viewpoints and seriously and resolutely implement the tasks and solutions to complete institutions for connectivity of socio-economic regions as follows:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. Regional connectivity institutions must regard regional master plans as a legal ground and a center for coordinating regional connectivity activities; promote the pivotal and effective coordinating role of the central administration; mobilize the participation of, and the connection among, regional connectivity participants on the basis of mutual respect, interest harmony, promotion of flexibility and innovation, and assurance of mutual trust building and consolidation.

2. The completion of connectivity institutions for a region must ensure that such institutions are substantive, effective, feasible, and non-absolute, inheriting good results and practices in the previous period and giving the top priority to the interests of the country and the whole region, and maintenance of national defense and security while promoting the comparative edge of each locality in the region.

3. To build the apparatus of a region with full jurisdiction, capacity and resources to effectively perform the leading and coordinating role of and create favorable conditions for local administrations to practice regional connectivity, particularly in the fields of regional infrastructure development; water source management and exploitation; efficient adaptation to climate change, disaster and epidemic prevention, control and reduction; management, and rational, thrifty, efficient and sustainable exploitation and use of natural resources; environmental protection and biodiversity conservation; building of a green, circular and eco-friendly economy; promotion of the national culture; and crime prevention and combat, etc.

4. Regional connectivity institutions should ensure synchronous, consistent and efficient operation of legal provisions on regional connectivity and ensure order and discipline in the implementation of regional policies.

5. Regional connectivity institutions should be completed according to the set roadmap in consistency with the requirements of administrative reform and apparatus downsizing, without giving rise to more procedures and intermediaries.

II. OBJECTIVES

To complete regional connectivity institutions in the 2021-2030 period with a view to enhancing the regional connectivity-coordinating role of the central administration, creating an information channel to promote the connectivity of local administrations in the regions, thus helping raise the regional competitiveness, mobilize diverse resources to support regional connectivity activities and projects, make use of internal and external resources of localities in the regions, and ensure the sustainable socio-economic development of the regions. At the same time, to complete regional connectivity institutions so as to ensure synchronous development of and create connection among the regions along with linkage of different economic sectors and production and business forms; to renew the decentralization and heighten the efficiency of coordination in performance of sector-based state management tasks; to harmoniously combine the development of local economy with development of regional economy on the basis of efficiently promoting the potentials and advantages of each region and locality.

III. SPECIFIC TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

Ministries, sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees shall resolutely, synchronously and efficiently organize the performance of the following tasks and solutions:

1. General tasks of ministries, sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees:

a/ To speed up the performance of the tasks assigned by the Government and Prime Minister under Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP of September 11, 2020, on tasks and solutions to accelerate the development of key economic regions; Resolution No. 99/NQ-CP of June 24, 2020, on intensified decentralization of sector-based state management powers; Decision No. 825/QD-TTg of June 12, 2020, establishing, and promulgating the Working Regulation of, the Coordination Council for the Mekong River Delta region for the 2020-2025 period; Directive No. 19/CT-TTg of July 19, 2019, on solutions to boost the growth and sustainable development of the southern key economic region; Directive No. 25/CT-TTg of October 11, 2019, on solutions to boost the growth and sustainable development of the northern key economic region; and Directive No. 27/CT-TTg of November 19, 2019, on solutions to boost the growth and sustainable development of the central region, and send biannual reports thereon to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for summarization and reporting to the Prime Minister.

b/ To scrutinize relevant master plans (within the ambit of their respective powers, functions and tasks) in order to adjust, or coordinate with related agencies in formulating or adjusting, sectoral master plans in conformity with the regional development demands and the 2017 Planning Law.

c/ To proactively coordinate with one another in developing databases on information of ministries, sectors and localities and information on the regions toward intensifying information sharing and access, striving for higher coordination frequency and efficiency among localities in natural resource management and environmental protection; to prevent, control and reduce disasters and climate change for achieving the general objectives and boosting sustainable development of the regions.

d/ To organize public communication for raising the awareness and changing the mindset of related cadres, civil servants and public employees about the benefits of regional connectivity and consequences caused by the lack of cooperation to the national, regional and local economies.

dd/ To scrutinize and consolidate activities of investment in upgrading and increasing the potentials of research institutes and research centers of ministries and central sectors based in socio-economic regions so that these institutes and centers are fully capable and qualified for settlement of regional issues.

e/ To organize regular exchanges of ideas and dialogues with ministries, sectors and localities engaged in regional coordination and with the business community in order to understand their demands, difficulties and problems in the course of formulating and implementing regional development policies, thereby finding out solutions to such difficulties and problems or proposing competent authorities to timely consider and settle them.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall:

a/ Expeditiously formulate and submit for approval the Master Plan on socio-economic regions in the fourth quarter of 2022 in accordance with the 2017 Planning Law.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, formulating a set of criteria or guiding the selection of inter-regional projects and, on that basis, review and summarize the list of programs and projects with inter-region connectivity and impacts in conformity with orientations of relevant national master plans and regional master plans in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050, and incorporate them into the 2021-2025 medium-term public investment plan when such is approved by a competent agency; at the same time, annually review and formulate plans for implementation of regional master plans.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and work with development partners and donors in, formulating the 2021-2025 program on support for investment in region connectivity projects (with ODA, concessional loans, etc.), giving priority to support for investment in projects in the fields of transport, hydraulic work, natural resource management and protection, and climate change response, etc., and support for the research and formulation of regional mechanisms and policies.

d/ Coordinate with related agencies in formulating plans on mobilization of resources for implementation of regional-scale and region-connectivity projects.

dd/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, formulating a draft decision establishing, and promulgating the Working Regulation of, the Regional Coordination Council for 5 socio-economic regions (namely the Red River Delta region; the North Central and Central Coast region; the Southeastern region; the Northern Midland and Mountainous region; and the Central Highlands region), and submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval in the second quarter of 2022.

e/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, studying the formation of development spaces of appropriate “region clusters” and “sub-regions” in each socio-economic region.

g/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, studying and proposing a plan on completion of legal provisions on regional development in the 2026-2030 period, and report it to the Government under regulations.

h/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, studying the feasibility of the assignment of socio-economic development norms to every region in the 2026-2030 period.

i/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in, studying a plan on reasonable division of socio-economic regions in the 2021-2025 period in order to create a foundation for the formulation of regional master plans for the subsequent period.

3. The Ministry of Finance shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related agencies and localities in, studying a mechanism on sharing of interests, finances and revenues from region connectivity programs and projects.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for studying and reporting to the Government the inclusion of amendments and supplementations to the 2015 Law on the State Budget and guiding documents in the legislative program, thus facilitating the coordination of resources among localities so as to achieve the general objectives of the regions after the Political Bureau approves the Scheme on renewing the mechanism for decentralization of state budget management and allocation of state budget funds in order to guarantee the leading role of the central budget and the proactivity of local budgets and related agencies and units.

4. The Ministry of Transport shall concentrate state resources for, and speed up the implementation of, projects, and synchronization of socio-economic infrastructure facilities, particularly key traffic infrastructure facilities of spillover effects and regional connectivity such as works on centripetal routes, ring roads and roads linking seaports and international transport corridors.

5. The Ministry of Resources and Environment shall formulate a scheme on establishment of a regional center for cross-border pollution warning in the northern region; a center for data information on natural resources and environment in the Mekong River Delta region and an international research center for marine plastic litter.

6. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries and sectors in, conducting research into and forecasting and training high-quality human resources; and providing vocational orientations and career education for laborers as suitable to each locality engaged in regional connectivity.

7. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related agencies and localities in, studying, formulating and submitting to competent authorities for consideration a scheme on establishment of the Regional Business Association with a view to promoting the cooperation among enterprises in the regions, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related agencies in, monitoring, independently evaluating and periodically reporting on the generality in socio-economic development of the regions and the efficiency of regional cooperation and connectivity activities of each locality.

8. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a/ Proactively work out solutions for performance of central tasks on regional development and proactively organize regional connectivity activities and, at the same time, promptly propose to competent authorities appropriate mechanisms and policies with a view to removing difficulties and problems in the course of organizing the implementation of regional policies.

b/ Proactively coordinate with related ministries, sectors and localities in reviewing and formulating provincial master plans in the 2021-2030 period, with orientations toward 2050, and complete them in the fourth quarter of 2022.

c/ Provincial-level administrations shall, within the ambit of their respective powers, promptly promulgate documents to regulate activities/tasks related to regional development and connectivity.

d/ Proactively mobilize to the utmost resources, combining funding sources of central and local authorities, and making use of ODA, funds from the private sector and other lawful funding sources, for implementation of breakthrough key projects to create regional connectivity in provinces and cities.

dd/ Consolidate the organizational apparatus and improve professional qualifications and skills of staffs performing the tasks related to regional development and connectivity.

9. Other ministries and sectors shall expeditiously perform the tasks according to their assigned state management functions in order to accelerate regional economic development and regional connectivity, giving priority to studying, reviewing, and proposing competent agencies to amend, relevant legal documents.

IV. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall organize the performance of its assigned tasks and act as the focal point in urging ministries, central agencies and localities to perform their respective assigned tasks, ensuring satisfaction of schedule and quality requirements; promptly propose to the Prime Minister solutions to problems arising in the course of implementing this Resolution; and before December 20 every year, report to the Prime Minister on results of the implementation of mechanisms, policies, tasks and solutions stated in this Resolution by ministries, central agencies and localities.

2. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, secretaries of provincial-level Party Committees, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall personally direct, and be answerable to the Government and Prime Minister for, the organization and results of implementation of this Resolution.-

On behalf of the Government
For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
LE VAN THANH