With timely support from the Government, close leadership from the provincial Party Committee, and strong coordination among the Standing Committee of the People’s Council, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province, and provincial organizations, the provincial People’s Committee has effectively pursued its development agenda. The provincial People’s Committee has actively aligned its strategies with the Party’s guidelines and the Government’s directives, translating them into action plans.

The province has demonstrated decisive, flexible, and innovative governance, emphasizing collective intelligence while upholding individual accountability among members of the provincial People’s Committee. Meanwhile, close collaboration between the province with ministries has ensured the effective implementation of national policies and programs. At the same time, difficulties encountered during execution have been promptly reported to the Government and the Prime Minister to soon address.

As a result of these efforts, Điện Biên achieved notable socio-economic progress in 2024. Of the 26 key targets set for the year, 16 were met or exceeded, including 8 that surpassed planned objectives. The province’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) grew by 8.51%, exceeding the province’s Party Congress target by 3 percentage points. The economic structure continued to shift positively, with stable agricultural production and improvements in quality and value. The cultivation of key industrial crops was expanded, including 3,359.2 hectares of newly planted macadamia trees.

The province took proactive steps to remove bottlenecks in land clearance, accelerating the progress of major infrastructure projects. These efforts generated widespread positive effects, boosting confidence among citizens, businesses, and local authorities.

Meanwhile, significant strides were made in administrative reform, investment promotion, and business environment improvements. Accordingly, the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) ranking increased by 31 places, reaching 31st nationwide - the highest ranking Điện Biên has ever achieved. The Public Administration Reform Index ranked 20th out of 63 provinces, reflecting substantial progress. The Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index rose by 25 places, demonstrating effective governance and public service delivery. These achievements underscore Điện Biên’s commitment to fostering a more business-friendly and efficiently governed province.

At the same time, a major highlight of 2024 was the remarkable breakthrough in Điện Biên’s tourism sector, which played a crucial role in driving economic growth. With numerous significant political and cultural events, Điện Biên attracted 1.85 million tourists - a 1.85-fold increase compared to 2023 - while tourism revenue reached VNĐ 3.3 trillion, growing 1.88 times year-on-year. This impressive performance was the result of effective promotion and tourism development efforts, particularly capitalizing on the “National Tourism Year - Điện Biên 2024”. Notably, the series of events leading up to and culminating in the 70th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ Victory triggered an unprecedented surge in both domestic and international tourist arrivals. This strong growth in tourism, combined with the successful organization of major events, has significantly elevated Điện Biên’s position on the national tourism map, reinforcing its potential as a leading destination in Vietnam.

Infrastructure in the healthcare sector has been upgraded, while education quality has seen continued improvements. Social welfare policies and poverty reduction programs have been effectively implemented, including the completion of 5,000 gratitude houses for disadvantaged households before the 2024 Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday. By the end of 2024, GRDP per capita reached VNĐ 47.78 million, marking an 11.54% increase from 2023; the poverty rate fell to 21.62%, a 4.06% decrease from the previous year. National defense remained firmly secured, while political security, public order, and social safety were effectively maintained. Furthermore, international cooperation and diplomatic relations continued to be expanded and strengthened.

The socio-economic achievements of 2024 reflected the effectiveness of Điện Biên’s policy implementation, governance reforms, and strategic management. These efforts have led to tangible improvements in the livelihoods of ethnic minority groups, reinforcing public trust in the Party, the Government, and local authorities.

It is clear to say that the year of 2025 holds special significance. According to Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, it marks the beginning of a new era of the nation’s rise - the one of breakthrough development and acceleration under the leadership of the Party. The goal is to successfully build a happy, prosperous, civilized, equitable, democratic, and wealthy socialist Vietnam.

This new era will be ushered in by a landmark political event - the Party Congresses at all levels, leading up to the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It is also the year to conclude the 2021 - 2025 socio-economic development plan and implement key strategies for continued reform, innovation, and national progress in alignment with the Prime Minister’s directive for rapid and sustainable development.

In 2025, organizational restructuring and administrative streamlining will be a top priority of Điện Biên Province, in line with the directives of the Central Steering Committee, the Government’s Steering Committee, and the province’s Steering Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No.18-NQ/TW, issued by the Party Central Committee in 2017, which seeks to streamline the political system for greater efficiency. The overarching goal is to build a lean, effective, and efficient administrative system, reduce overlapping structures, and enhance the capacity and accountability of civil servants and public officials across the province.

To meet and surpass the planned socio-economic targets, all levels of the provincial authorities and sectors must act decisively, embracing a high level of commitment, innovation, and proactive governance. Each sector, locality, and agency in the province should develop their action plans and strategies tailored to their specific conditions and needs, ensuring immediate and strong progress from the start of this year.

A review of 2024 demonstrates that despite various challenges, many socio-economic indicators met or exceeded their targets. These achievements highlighted the solidarity of the people, the adaptability of economic actors, and the innovative, determined leadership of authorities at all levels. However, challenges and shortcomings must be acknowledged candidly, with a thorough analysis of their causes to devise effective corrective measures.

To ensure sustainable growth, the People’s Committee of Điện Biên Province will direct relevant agencies and sectors to effectively implement the provincial Master Plan for 2021 - 2030, with a vision towards 2050. A flexible approach to capital mobilization will be employed to review, supplement, and adjust urban planning in key localities, facilitating investment attraction from various economic actors. Additionally, the province will develop and execute the medium-term public investment plan and the five-year financial plan for 2026 - 2030 to secure long-term economic stability and growth.

Agriculture remains a crucial pillar of Điện Biên’s local economy. Provincial authorities and specialized sectors will intensify efforts to restructure agriculture toward commodity-oriented production, leveraging local strengths, in combination with the new-style rural area building task. Key strategies include attracting investment in major agricultural products, developing a closed-loop production-processing-consumption model, and focusing on high-value crops such as macadamia nuts, medicinal herbs, and high-tech agriculture. Additionally, the province will proactively monitor and respond to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters, ensuring the safety of residents and stable agricultural production.

In the industrial and construction sector, Điện Biên will continue to create favorable conditions for investors to conduct research and implement projects in renewable energy, new energy technologies, and construction materials manufacturing. The province will accelerate the rural electrification project under the “Light up Điện Biên” program, ensuring efficient energy supply to remote areas.

Moreover, Điện Biên will support the development of agricultural and forestry processing industries, promoting value-chain linkages to enhance productivity and sustainability. Revitalizing traditional handicrafts is also a priority, as is streamlining administrative procedures for urban infrastructure, tourism, and service projects, expediting investment approvals and implementation timelines.

Regarding trade - service - tourism, it is the most significant sector in Điện Biên’s economic structure and has been identified as a key driver of growth. The province will continue to mobilize resources and effectively implement tourism development projects, optimizing the province’s tourism assets and strengthening Điện Biên’s brand as a prime travel destination. Efforts will be made to enhance regional tourism linkages with other provinces in the Northwest region and expand cooperation with Northern provinces of Laos, fostering cross-border tourism development. The province aims to attract major investors for developing high-end tourism services, including hospitality, eco-tourism, and leisure projects. Additionally, businesses will receive support in digital marketing and e-commerce expansion, enabling broader market outreach through trade promotion initiatives.

The province will focus on implementing the Điện Biên Tourism Development Plan (2025 - 2030) and policies supporting community-based tourism and unique cultural tourism products. Promotional events will be organized nationwide and internationally to showcase Điện Biên’s tourism potential, while procedures will be finalized to select investors for the development of the Mường Phăng key tourism zone. Điện Biên remains committed to creating an investor-friendly environment, ensuring smooth execution of major tourism and entertainment projects.

In addition, Điện Biên province is committed to strengthening cooperation with Northern provinces of Laos, Yunnan province of China, and Northern provinces  of Thailand to optimize the efficiency of border gates and trade routes while attracting investment for cross-border trade infrastructure development. The province will effectively implement tasks, solutions, and development plans for logistics services through 2025, with a vision toward 2030, gradually completing warehouse systems, transportation infrastructure, and communication networks to meet the growing demand for freight transportation and import-export activities.

Điện Biên will aggressively implement administrative reforms, improve business environment, and enhance the province’s competitiveness. The province is committed to working alongside investors to resolve difficulties and ensure consistent, favorable policies. Special attention will be given to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), fostering an environment where businesses can actively contribute feedback and engage in policy discussions related to socio-economic development.

The province aims to maximize the efficiency of State budget allocations while mobilizing investment from various economic actors. There will be stricter budget management, ensuring cost savings and proper expenditure control. Public investment disbursement processes will be accelerated, with a determined effort to resolve land clearance bottlenecks, particularly in major projects. Local authorities will strictly handle any individuals or organizations responsible for project delays. Key infrastructure projects to be completed include the Động Lực Road and the Nậm Rốm River Multi-Disaster Management Project. Meanwhile, efforts will continue toward finalizing investment procedures for the Sơn La - Điện Biên - Tây Trang Expressway (Phase 1).

The province is committed to effectively implementing the Intellectual Property Strategy to 2030, continuing investment in digital infrastructure, governance systems, and data management. It will focus on developing smart urban services based on the principle of “citizen and business-centered digital transformation.” Efforts will be made to integrate and share data with national databases, supporting more effective governance and decision-making processes. Moreover, efforts will be made to improve the quality of education, especially in disadvantaged and remote areas. Healthcare services will be streamlined and modernized, ensuring efficiency and international integration. The province will also fully implement social welfare policies on schedule, ensuring fair access to essential services.

Điện Biên’s authorities will rigorously enforce the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Provincial Action Plans. Inspections will be conducted transparently and objectively, with strict legal actions against misconduct. The province will tighten administrative discipline, emphasizing accountability in leadership. Public grievances and complaints will be handled effectively, particularly those related to the personnel selection process for the upcoming Party Congresses at all levels in the province.

The province will closely adhere to the resolutions and directives of the Party, National Assembly, Government, Prime Minister, and provincial Party Committee, focusing on State management of religious and belief activities. Local defense and military strategies will be effectively implemented, combining national security efforts with economic development and poverty reduction programs. Efforts to combat transnational crimes, particularly drug-related offenses and cybercrime, will be intensified. Authorities will enforce strict security measures to protect key infrastructure and political events. Additionally, the province will enhance external affairs quality in line with Vietnam’s national foreign policy and the province’s socio-economic development orientation.

Written by Mr. Lê Thành Đô

Deputy Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Điện Biên Provincial People’s Committee