Southeast Economic Zone: Actively supporting investors.

(Baonghean) - In the first months of 2015, the Southeast Economic Zone (EZ) saw many vibrant and effective activities. These included the expansion of the EZ's area and space, and the commissioning of many new projects and constructions. Throughout this process, EZ officials, from leaders to specialists, demonstrated responsibility and actively collaborated with investors.

Overcoming the scorching heat of summer, in recent days, Mr. Doan Van Dai, Head of the Construction Management and Appraisal Department of the Southeast Economic Zone, along with leaders of Hoa Sen Group, have been traveling throughout the economic zone to conduct field surveys for the expansion of production lines. Despite the busy schedule, Mr. Dai always finds joy in contributing to accelerating the construction progress of projects within the economic zone alongside investors.

Mr. Dai shared: “It is a responsibility that I, as well as every official in the Southeast Economic Zone, have always clearly defined to stand alongside businesses, focusing on promoting and attracting investment projects to the Southeast Economic Zone. The leaders of the Economic Zone Management Board have assigned each official in the functional departments to strengthen coordination and support businesses in resolving difficulties and obstacles related to administrative procedures; promptly providing information, documents, and policies of the State and locality to businesses... Thereby, creating peace of mind for investors.”

Investors conduct on-site surveys of industrial parks within the Southeast Economic Zone.

With such determination, in the first months of 2015, officials and specialists of the Southeast Economic Zone contributed to accelerating the progress of 6 key manufacturing projects invested in the area, such as: the Hoa Sen Steel Sheet Factory in Nghe An; the Masan Northern Food Center Project; the Seafood Canning, Processing and Preservation, and Pre-processing of Frozen Seafood; and the Pre-processing of Agricultural, Seafood, and Meat Products (Investor: Royal Food Nghe An Co., Ltd.); the Frozen Seafood Processing and Preservation, Pre-processing of Agricultural, Seafood, and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Production Plant (Investor: Fresh Food and Cold Storage Co., Ltd.); and the Superphosphate Fertilizer and Marble Paving Stone Plant (Investor: Bohra Industries Vietnam Co., Ltd.). All projects are accelerating their progress. The Hoa Sen Steel Sheet Factory Project in Zone C, Nam Cam Industrial Park, has exceeded its schedule and officially commenced operations on March 15th. To date, the factory has stabilized production with revenue of nearly 30 billion VND per month.

Along with the aforementioned projects, nine other key projects in the field of infrastructure investment in economic zones and industrial parks are being accelerated. For example, the wastewater treatment system project in Zone B of the Nam Cam Industrial Park, invested by the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone Management Board, has officially commenced operation with a capacity of 2,500 m³/day. This system will collect wastewater from factories in Zones B and C of the Nam Cam Industrial Park for treatment. The Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone Management Board is also actively mobilizing capital to accelerate key road construction projects connecting areas within the Economic Zone. In particular, they are accelerating the construction of resettlement areas, including: the Nghi Thiet resettlement area, with 80 plots, which has been completed and handed over to the Land Clearance Council. The construction value reached VND 35.6 billion, of which VND 24.6 billion has been paid. The process of reviewing the list of resettled households and conducting a lottery for land allocation is underway. The Nghi Tien resettlement area has 23 plots, all of which have been completed and handed over to the Land Clearance Council. The construction value reached 8.42 billion VND, of which 8.40 billion VND has been paid. A lottery has been conducted for the households, and to date, 10 households have completed their houses. The Nghi Yen resettlement area, comprising 72 plots, has completed 100% of the work and a lottery has been conducted to allocate plots to 12 households in Hamlet 2 for house construction...

A positive sign in the early months of the year for the Southeast Economic Zone is that the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 10/2015/QD-TTg (dated April 3, 2015), amending and supplementing Clause 1, Article 2 of the Regulations on the operation of the Southeast Economic Zone of Nghe An province, issued together with Decision No. 21/2010/QD-TTg dated March 3, 2010 of the Prime Minister, which was amended and supplemented by Decision No. 67/2014/QD-TTg dated December 4, 2014 of the Prime Minister, effective from June 1, 2015. Accordingly, the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone will expand its area from 20,026.47 hectares to 20,776.47 hectares, including 750 hectares of the VSIP Nghe An Industrial, Service and Urban Zone (located in Hung Chinh commune, Vinh City) and Hung Tay, Hung Dao communes and Hung Nguyen town (Hung Nguyen district).

This is a crucial factor driving investors to quickly implement the VSIP Nghe An Industrial Park, Service and Urban Complex project, jointly developed by Becamex IDC Corporation and Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park Joint Venture Company Limited. The project, once operational, is expected to attract approximately US$8 billion in investment; create jobs for 150,000 workers; generate annual revenue of around US$3 billion; and achieve export turnover of approximately US$1.5 billion, contributing to the industrialization and modernization process and creating a breakthrough in investment attraction for Nghe An province.

The Southeast Economic Zone Department is guiding investors in conducting field surveys.

Leaders and officials of the Southeast Economic Zone guide investors on a survey in Zone C, Nam Cam Industrial Park.

Thus, the Prime Minister has twice adjusted and expanded the Southeast Economic Zone, creating favorable conditions for the zone to expand its area and space, and establishing a legal basis for businesses and investors within the zone to access and benefit from the zone's preferential policies. This also creates job opportunities, increases people's income, and generates a ripple effect of development for areas adjacent to the project and throughout the province, contributing to accelerating the industrialization and modernization process of Nghe An province in accordance with Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the direction and tasks for the development of Nghe An province until 2020, essentially transforming it into an industrial province.

Speaking about the commitment and support of the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board for businesses and investors, Mr. Vo Van Hai, Director of the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board, affirmed: "The achievements over the past time demonstrate the unity and striving of each official, Party member, civil servant, and worker of the Economic Zone. We always aim to measure the quality of our work by the satisfaction of investors and the effectiveness of projects. Most recently, the Party Congress of the Management Board also set a requirement for each official to strengthen administrative reform, improve awareness, responsibility, and service attitude to meet the needs of attracting investment and the State management activities of the Board."

In particular, the management board of the Economic Zone is gradually upgrading and applying information technology (Biz Office e-office) to its management operations, creating the most favorable conditions for investors and businesses in resolving administrative procedures. At the same time, the management board is strengthening state management in all areas of planning, construction, environment, and labor. This allows them to advise the Provincial People's Committee to resolutely revoke projects that are not implemented or are implemented slowly, creating clean land for potential investors to accelerate project progress, contributing to economic growth, job creation, and income generation in the province.

Nguyen Nguyen