(VOVworld) - The eighth Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum opened in Soc Trang province on Wednesday.

The eighth Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum opened in Soc Trang province (Photo: VGP)

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh said that the Mekong river delta region holds a strategic position in terms of socio-economic development, security and national defence. However, the region is facing numerous challenges, including climate change impact, unsustainable economic growth, low infrastructure, limited high-quality human resources and high rate of households living under or near the poverty line.
Mr. Ninh said the forum is organized to seek measures to address the difficulties and promise regional investment: "Ministries, sectors and localities should pay more attention to the forum’s major targets of combining economic development with assuring social security, improving material and spiritual lives of people in the remote and rural areas. Besides, the forum also needs to resolve challenges facing socio-economic development in the region by realizing proposes of localities, scientists and investors on investment in agriculture, rural areas to make the Mekong river delta a dynamic and fast developed economic area".