Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has stressed the need for a clear vision for how to grow the marine economy, with a drive to implement many more projects already defined under the strategic plan.

He made the comments as he chaired a meeting with ministries and agencies on inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms for the sustainable development of Vietnam's maritime sector.

Ha emphasised that an effective inter-sectoral, inter-regional and international coordination mechanism is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable marine economic development. Such a mechanism, he noted, forms the foundation for integrated resource management, conflict resolution and optimal decision-making among competing marine sectors.

“The key objective is to identify priorities, what issues require inter-sectoral, inter-regional, inter-provincial or even international coordination. Without clarity, we risk having to coordinate everything, which leads to overload, technical and financial inefficiencies, and hampers development,” he said.

He stressed that the coordination mechanism must follow the principle of decentralisation, only issues that truly require central-level coordination should be retained at the national level, with the rest delegated to local bodies.

He assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) to take the lead, in collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies, in researching and proposing mechanisms to resolve development conflicts. These should prioritise criteria such as environmental efficiency, economic viability and job creation. The ministry was also tasked with developing decision-support tools for analysing and handling inter-sectoral conflicts, and establishing a coordination mechanism for marine environmental surveys and resource assessments to support the implementation of marine economic strategies and plans.

The MoAE was also urged to urgently review and finalise the operating regulations and scope of the National Steering Committee for the Implementation of the Strategy for Sustainable Marine Economic Development.

The committee should focus on resolving inter-provincial and inter-regional conflicts, national priority projects, and internationally relevant issues such as implementing international agreements, marine scientific research and addressing transboundary or large-scale marine environmental incidents.

According to a report presented by the MoAE, seven years after the launch of the Strategy for Sustainable Marine Economic Development of Vietnam to 2030, with a vision to 2045, key marine economic sectors, including marine tourism and services, maritime economy, oil and gas, fisheries, renewable energy, and emerging sectors, have made encouraging progress.

However, the implementation of specific tasks under the strategy remains behind schedule.

Of the 169 projects and tasks assigned by the Government to ministries and 28 coastal provinces and cities, only 35 are currently underway, accounting for just 20.7%. This shortfall has significantly impacted the overall progress and objectives of the national marine strategy.

Ministries, sectors, and local departments said they have encountered difficulties due to limited data sharing, coordination and reference to related materials. This has resulted in delayed implementation, duplicated efforts, and a failure to build on the outcomes of related projects, wasting public funds.

As numerous marine spatial and resource planning documents have now been approved, such as the National Marine Spatial Plan and the Master Plan for Coastal Zone Exploitation, the need for a cohesive and effective inter-agency coordination mechanism has become increasingly urgent. The marine environment, characterised by overlapping economic activities, demands a robust inter-sectoral mechanism to handle emerging cross-sectoral and cross-regional issues in implementing the strategy.

At the meeting, leaders and representatives from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defence, Justice, Finance, and Industry and Trade agreed that the creation of an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism aligns not only with Vietnam’s marine economic development strategy but also with international trends, as many ASEAN and global partners have implemented similar models.

They stressed the need to build on and improve existing coordination frameworks, avoid introducing unnecessary new procedures, and review the operations and budget of the National Steering Committee to enhance the efficiency of sustainable marine economic development./.