COVID-19 and its impact on province’s external activities
Tuesday - 24/08/2021 15:21
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from the beginning of 2021 until now, it has not only caused the great impact on the economy but also on the people’s lives, activities and health in the world. In Vietnam, some localities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Da Nang, Binh Duong, etc. have been applying the strongest measures of isolation and social distancing such as "everyone stays in one place", "everyone stays at his/her own house", "everyone is not allowed to go out for 07-15 days", etc. In Binh Dinh province, although the situation is a little bit better, it is stressful: the number of deaths has reached 5 (as of August 20th, 2021); the number of localities (communes) which have been following Directive 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister is increasing; the State agencies, political and social organizations are taking measures to strengthen medical declaration, reducing the number of meetings and the number of people working daily at the office not exceeding 50% to ensure the requirements for social distancing and prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the highest priorities given to the prevention, control and limitation of the pandemic transmission in the community, many activities and tasks are considered as not urgent and are postponed until the pandemic is kept under control. With that spirit, along with many other sectors, the number of external activities in the province have also been postponed and are waiting to be re-arranged in the coming time, for example the meeting with the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City in mid May 2021; the online investment promotion conferences between the Provincial People's Committee and a number of economic associations and organizations of Japan and Taiwan in late May 2021; a high-level meeting between Binh Dinh province and 04 Southern provinces of Laos (Attapu, Champasak, Salavan and Sekong) on summary and evaluation of the cooperation results achieved in the 2015-2020 period and signing of the cooperation programme for the 2021-2025 period even though the leaders of the provinces agreed and Binh Dinh Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Foreign Affairs of the Southern provinces of Laos have prepared eaverything ready for the signing of the memoranda of understanding as regulated; the conference on investment opportunities for the Korean businesses in Binh Dinh to be chaired by the Korean Ambassador and the Provincial People's Committee as supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with participation of about 80-100 Korean enterprises and the same number of the domestic ones as previously agreed by the Korean Ambassador and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; the conference on investment opportunities for the German businesses in Binh Dinh province; the implementation of a number of specific areas that have been agreed by the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province and the Government of Izumisano city, Osaka (Japan) since February 2020 as well as the signing of cooperation programme between Vinh Thanh district, Binh Dinh province and Yoshino town, Nara prefecture (Japan) including the cherry blossom tree planting project for tourism development in Vinh Thanh district are also standing still because the Japanese partners are worried about the COVID-19 situation.
It can be said that the failure to carry out the above-said events and activities due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic not only limits the enthusiasm of the agencies and units that have actively prepared but also affects the appropriate time to implement the important items of work, including attraction of investment and promotion of the socio-economic development of the province.