US$2.8 billion of FDI invested in Mekong Delta region

Over the past ten months, the Mekong Delta region attracted 125 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total registered capital of US$2.8 billion.

Tan Huong Industrial Zone in Tien Giang province. Photo: Nguyen Huu

Long An province attracted the most projects (102) with a total of US$156 million in investment, while Tra Vinh came first in FDI attraction with US$2.4 billion invested in the Duyen Hai 2 Thermal Power Plant.

Following are Tien Giang with five projects (US$42.6 million); An Giang with six projects (US$34.7 million); Can Tho with 3 projects (US$15.9 million); Vinh Long with four projects (US$12.8 million); and Dong Thap, Soc Trang and Ben Tre with one project each.

In October, 57 FDI projects in the region increased capital with an added US$256 million, helping newly invested and added capital reach USS$3.05 billion.

In total, ten provinces and cities in the region (Long An, Tra Vinh, An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Can Tho) have 1,030 projects with a total investment of US$14 billion.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, poor transport prevented the region’s attraction to FDI projects from being on par with the potential.

In addition, the region’s labour forces are mostly untrained while skilled and technically qualified workers are required.

To attract further foreign investors, experts suggest that the region take effective measures to strengthen the labour force and infrastructure, and improve investment promotion with a focus on specific industries in targeted countries, particularly Japan, as an investment wave is rising in the country with many projects appropriate to the region’s potential.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)