General Phan Van Giang, Politburo Member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, attended and directed the congress. Attending the event were Member of the Party Central Committee, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan; former leaders of the Party and State from An Giang; representatives of Central Ministries, agencies, Military Region 9; provincial leaders and former leaders over the periods; Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces, Labor Heroes; and 448 delegates representing 131,548 Party members across the entire Provincial Party organization.

The 1st Provincial Party Congress of An Giang Province, after the merger of Kien Giang and An Giang provinces, bears particularly important political significance, defining the orientations, goals, tasks, and comprehensive development solutions for the province for the 2025–2030 period. At the same time, it aims to consolidate a strong political system, arouse the will, determination, and aspiration to rise strongly among the Party and people of An Giang in the new era.

The Congress motto: “One An Giang – One Vision – One Will – One Faith in Victory,” serves both as a guideline for action and as a powerful call to awaken the aspiration to bring An Giang Province toward rapid and sustainable development in the new period, stepping into the nation’s era of resurgence.

In his opening speech, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Tien Hai affirmed that the Congress is a significant political event, of special importance to An Giang Province’s development journey, as the province and the nation enter a new era of development full of opportunities and new driving forces. This is an occasion to look back on the previous term’s efforts and identify the position of the Provincial Party and locality within the country’s overall development progress.

During the last term, the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party organizations, as well as the quality of Party members, were enhanced. The operation of the political system has become increasingly effective and efficient—especially after implementing the Party Central Committee’s policy on streamlining the organizational apparatus, administrative units, and building a two-level local government system, gaining high consensus among officials and the people. The economy recovered and grew year by year; the economic structure shifted in the right direction; urban infrastructure investment became increasingly synchronized, bringing many positive changes; the rural landscape and the material and spiritual lives of the people continuously improved; national defense and security were maintained; and foreign affairs, international integration, and regional linkage were strengthened, the Secretary noted.

During the 2020–2025 term, the province effectively implemented three breakthroughs in socio-economic development, including: administrative reform with many measures to modernize the administration, building and developing e-government and digital government; improving the business environment, enhancing competitiveness, creating a fair, transparent, and open investment environment for investors in line with law and international practices; and strengthening resource mobilization and investment in socio-economic infrastructure, especially in synchronized, modern transport infrastructure; while developing high-quality human resources to meet development demands.

Next, the province effectively implemented five key programs, including: the Urban Development Program, the Human Resource Development Program, the National Target Program on New Rural Development, the Socio-economic Development Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, and the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction, contributing to the completion of many important socio-economic indicators of the province. 

During the 2020–2025 term, the province’s GRDP grew by an average of 5.68% per year, the economic scale expanded, and the structure shifted in the right direction. Agriculture continued to play the role of a pillar of the economy, focusing on improving productivity, quality, and competitiveness. The total seafood output over five years reached more than 7.4 million tons, growing by an average of 2.66% per year. The industrial sector achieved good growth and became one of the important drivers of economic growth, with production value exceeding 476.8 trillion VND, in which processing and manufacturing industries played a key role, accounting for 96% of the total industrial production value.

Meanwhile, trade, services, and tourism continued to grow positively. Total export turnover reached 9.29 billion USD, with an average annual increase of 9.39%. Tourism recovered strongly, with over 80.8 million tourist arrivals over five years, including more than 3.48 million international visitors, an average annual growth rate of 14.9%; total tourism revenue over five years exceeded 142.8 trillion VND, affirming the province’s position on the national and global tourism map.

In addition, the marine economy developed strongly, accounting for 80% of the province’s GRDP; border trade was strengthened through investments in border gates, logistics, and cross-border commerce, forming new growth poles associated with ensuring national defense and security.

Regarding Party building, the streamlining of the organizational apparatus was effectively implemented, improving the quality of cadres and Party members. The An Giang Provincial Party currently has 107 subordinate Party organizations under the Provincial Party Committee, 931 grassroots Party organizations, and 131,548 Party members. The province completed the arrangement of a two-level local administrative system with 102 commune-level units, including 85 communes, 14 wards, and 3 special zones. Cultural, social, educational, healthcare, and social welfare conditions improved, with the poverty rate reduced to 0.91%. National defense and security were maintained, and foreign affairs were expanded, especially with Cambodia./.

Reported by Nhu Ngoc

Translated by Kim Thuan