The Government’s Resolution 26/NĐ-CP, dated March 5th, 2020 on implementing the 12th Party Central Committee’s Resolution 36-NQ/TW on the Strategy for developing Vietnam’s marine economy towards 2030, with a vision towards 2045 includes measures to improve the people’s life and build Vietnamese maritime culture and a sea-friendly society.

1. Plan towards 2030, with a vision towards 2045

 According to the plan, we should supplement and construct sufficient socio-economic infrastructures, particularly electricity grid, drinking water supply, communication, health, and education on islands. Due regard should be paid to allowing citizens living and working in sea and island areas to access good-quality health services, fully complying with international regulations on health care for activities at sea, and continuing assessing human development index in 28 coastal provinces and municipalities.

Besides, we should build, complete, and develop cultural institutions for residential communities in coastal and sea areas. Great value should be attached to maintaining, restoring, and developing festivals and historical, cultural relic sites, preserving cultural space, architecture, and natural heritage sites within coastal provinces and municipalities. It is essential to disseminate scientific knowledge of marine ecosystems, raise public awareness of the importance of seas and oceans to socio-economic development, and improve students’ knowledge of seas and oceans. Mechanisms for managing coastal protection corridors should be formulated synchronously, while the people’s right to access seas in coastal provinces and municipalities should be guaranteed.

2. Plan towards 2025

According to the plan, we should design awards relating to seas and oceans to encourage organisations and individuals both at home and abroad to participate in sea-related activities.

Due attention should be paid to comparing the human development index in 28 coastal provinces and municipalities with the national average. We should continue reviewing, supplementing, and sufficiently constructing socio-economic infrastructures, especially ensuring electricity, drinking water, medical services, and education on inhabited islands, and promulgating medical criteria for sea and island areas. Every independent island commune will have a standard health station. 70% of hospitals and medical centres on island districts will be capable of surgical techniques. There will be 4 emergency centres capable of emergency coordination and transport at sea. And there will be 1 hospital ship.

Furthermore, we should improve working conditions for fishermen and raise those people’s awareness of maritime safety and security. Emphasis should be placed on working towards measures to maintain cultural institutions for residential communities in coastal and sea areas, upgrading and constructing marine cultural centres in coastal provinces and municipalities, designing and including documents on seas, oceans, and climate change response in students’ curriculum, and evaluating the establishment of coastal protection corridors.

In summary, organisations, sectors, and particularly coastal localities should grasp and effectively implement those above-mentioned measures to contribute to turning our country into a maritime powerhouse.

TRAN TOAN