Great expectations from the National Master Planning

After a long period of meticulous preparation, the dossier of the National Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, has been approved by the Appraisal Council of the Government and then will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the upcoming session in October.

This is the first national master plan to be prepared in Vietnam in accordance with the provisions of the 2017 Planning Law. The components of the master plan will concretise the socio-economic development strategy for the 2021-2030 period, in order to arrange the national development space in a reasonable manner based on the country's potentials and strengths, as well as to create conditions for promoting fast and sustainable economic growth, and, above all, towards the realisation of the goals and aspirations for prosperity.

Planning towards national development as a unified whole, not divided nor bound by administrative boundaries, will helping resources to be mobilised and used most effectively for the benefit of the country.

The National Master Plan is considered the main outline that will shape a prosperous Vietnam with a vision to 2050. At that time, the size of the economy will have increased, with income per capita expected to reach 27,000 to 32,000 USD, entering the high-income threshold of the world. At the same time, infrastructure limitations will be overcome by synchronous investment in traffic works and green-oriented energy infrastructure.

The living environment will also be ensured thanks to better roads and the development of public transport systems in big cities as well as the balanced, harmonious and scientific development of regions, localities, urban systems and rural areas, and especially the trend of energy transition to a greener direction to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Carrying a great mission in orienting and organising the overall and long-term national development, the Master Plan has built and shaped the national development framework at a strategic level, from the perspective of planning on the basis of the national development guidelines and strategies that the Party and State have determined.

The Master Plan also identifies four key tasks for the country in the next three decades, including: specifying major perspectives on national development as focused and effective development in the period up to 2030, then gradually developing regions and localities harmoniously and sustainably; developing orientation for dynamic regions and growth poles; forming economic corridors along the north-south and east-west axes based on highways, railways, connections to seaports, international airports, international border gates associated with urban centres, economic centres and growth poles.

Attention will also be paid to completing the infrastructure network with priority given to the development of the transport infrastructure network, including urban traffic in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, energy, telecommunications, etc., in association with the formation of economic corridors and building synchronous and modern infrastructure in dynamic regions (core zones) and growth poles.

From now until it is submitted to the National Assembly, there are still some contents that need to be absorbed and explained in order to complete the dossier with the highest quality.

For the first time, the National Master Plan has been established in the context of a very long-term vision, the domestic and international situations both have great fluctuations and are difficult to predict, so society is placing great expectations on the Master Plan. With the requirement not only to expand the development space to the ocean and sky, but also to open the door to new development dynamics and opportunities for the country.

With meticulous preparation and the participation of leading experts, scientists, managers, the National Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, has been established. It is expected to become a useful tool contributing to promoting strengths and taking advantage of opportunities to develop the country.