Dak Lak (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has describedthe Central Highlands as a "sleeping beauty” whose enormous potential andadvantages have yet to be fully tapped.

He made the comment at the region’s fourthinvestment promotion conference in Buon Ma Thuot city of Dak Lak province onMarch 11. 

The biggest-ever investment promotion event inthe region brought together nearly 1,000, including economists, Vietnamese andforeign entrepreneurs, along with representatives of internationalorganisations and diplomatic agencies.

The Government leader considered the CentralHighlands, consisting of Dak Lak, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Nong and Lam Dongprovinces, as a springboard to the development of the central region as well asthe southeast and southwest of Vietnam.  

The region is home to nearly 2 million hectaresof basalt, or 60 percent of this soil’s total area in Vietnam, which isfavourable for coffee and pepper farming. Although the country is a leadingcoffee and pepper exporter in the world, most of the exported products areunprocessed with low added value, PM Phuc analysed, suggesting investors focusingon these trees to rake in higher benefits.

Regarding tourism potential, he said the CentralHighlands boasts imposing natural landscapes, many beautiful sites and a niceclimate which are suitable for tourism and also cannot be found in otherregions.

He underlined the Government and the region’sdetermination to turn the Central Highlands epics into world intangiblecultural heritage, asking the region to conserve local cultural identities,especially the gong culture.

At the conference, PM Phuc asked the CentralHighlands provinces to form large-scale organic agricultural areas. Herecommended them promote industrial development by modernising agriculture,boosting processing activities, and expanding the value chain of products fromindustrial trees.

The Central Highlands also needs to enhanceregional connectivity to expand the market for its products and foster tourism,he added.

He reiterated the Government’s resolve in protecting forests, which is regardedas the core of security in the region as well as the entire country.

“We should be aware that protecting forests is meant to protect the livingenvironment, water resources, livelihoods of people and heritage space of ourancestors. All activities to destroy forests and exploit forest productsillegally are crimes,” he said.

The leader praised investors in the region forcreating a new momentum for local development, asking them to do as they saywhen investing here.

At the event, head of the Steering Committee forthe Central Highlands To Lam, who is also Minister of Public Security, pledgedto support and closely cooperate with investors.

Aside from the Government’s incentives, theprovinces also have their own support policies such as in site clearance,infrastructure building, and making environmental impact assessment reports.They will streamline administrative procedures and ensure transparency to helpinvestors save time and unofficial expenses, he added.

At the conference, some projects received creditagreements worth over 29 trillion VND (1.27 billion USD) from banks. Investmentcertificates and agreements were handed over to projects with a combinedcapital of 80 trillion VND (3.5 billion USD). -VNA