Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc attends a conference of investors in Nghệ An Province on the occasion of the beginning of the Year of the Pig on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

NGHỆ AN — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has urged the central province of Nghệ An to work harder to improve the business and investment environment, reform administrative procedures and create the best possible conditions for investors.

Addressing a conference of investors in the province on the occasion of the beginning of the Year of the Pig on Saturday, PM Phúc asked the investors not to give up in the face of difficulties, adding that the value of their investments not only depended on the amount of money but also people’s trust and welcome.  

He expressed joy at the economic growth of Nghệ An in recent years and shared the participants’ trust in a bright future for the province.

Stressing the province’s role, he pointed to its limitations such as a lack of high-quality human resources and low per capita income.

PM Phúc assigned ministries and agencies to continue creating favourable conditions in terms of mechanisms and policies for Nghệ An to attract investment and drive forward socio-economic development.

Chairman of Nghệ An’s People’s Committee Thái Thanh Quý said the organisation of annual investors’ meetings had helped the province attract 150 projects worth more than VNĐ89 trillion (US$3.8 billion) since 2014, of which 129 projects had been and were being implemented on schedule.    

The investors had contributed to creating strong drivers for Nghệ An’s growth, he said, affirming the province’s commitment to serving investors in the spirit of growth and service administration. In 2019, the province would streamline investment procedures to cut waiting times by half, apply information technology to control all data about investment projects in the province, and strive for equality in the treatment of all investors, particularly regarding access to land.

At the conference, provincial officials presented decisions approving investment proposals and investment licences to several projects, signed memoranda of understanding and agreements on investment co-operation, and awarded firms and investors with outstanding performance awards in investment last year.

On the sidelines of the conference, PM Phúc met representatives of major enterprises and investors in Nghệ An, saying the Government and local authorities always facilitated investors, and that Việt Nam’s laws always protected the legitimate rights of investors and attached importance to all economic sectors, considering the private sector an important driving force for development.

In his reception for leading officials from foreign enterprises the same day, PM Phúc expressed his hope they would intensify their investment in the region in the fields of their strength and the locality’s need. Their work should take into consideration the environment and bring high added value.

For their part, representatives of investors expressed their wish to continue expanding their businesses in the region and spoke highly of the quality of local human resources. They also said they hoped for more meetings with representatives of local authorities and the Government.

Earlier the same day, PM Phúc attended a ceremony to inaugurate an oil storage depot and port in Nghi Lộc District. Costing nearly VNĐ1.5 trillion (over $64.6 million) invested by the Thiên Minh Đức Group, the port can accommodate ships of up to 49,000 tonnes and store 120,000 tonnes of oil.  — VNS