Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addresses a conference to seek way to boost transport development in Mekong Delta, Can Tho city, October 16, 2024. Photo: VGP

The Government chief stressed the goal while chairing a conference to seek ways to accelerate transport development in the Mekong Delta region held in Can Tho city on October 16.

This is a challenging goal as the whole region had only 39km of expressway prior to 2021, according to Prime Minister Pham.

The Mekong Delta region, Viet Nam's biggest rice hub, is hosting nine key national transport projects with a combined investment capital of around VND106 trillion ($$4.25 billion), the Ministry of Transported reported.

Currently, eight projects are under construction, while the remaining, the My An-Cao Lanh expressway, is expected to begin construction in 2025, said the ministry.

The central Government targets to raise the country's total length of expressways to 3,000 km 2025 and 5,000km by the end of this decade.

This heavy task requires all levels, sectors and localities to be extremely urgent, proactive, flexible and creative in applying policies, mechanisms and strategies to implement projects, said Pham.

The Mekong Delta region, home to Can Tho city and 12 provinces with over 17 million people, contributes 17.7 percent of the national GDP./.