(VOVworld) – The Northwest Steering Committee today held a meeting to sum up its operation in this year’s first half and set goals for the second half in Bac Kan province.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Head of the Committee, chaired the meeting (Photo: Internet)

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Head of the Committee, chaired the meeting. Over the past six months, the northwest mountainous provinces have had a stable socio-economic growth rate with regional gross domestic product (GDP) reaching about 7.3%. The socio-cultural sector has seen progress while security, social order, and border sovereignty have been maintained. But the region remains under-developed and has disadvantages for development such as the highest poverty rate in the country, a complex political and religious situation, and poor infrastructure. Meeting participants discussed ways to weather the current difficulties, hastening rural transportation development, growth and protection of forests, and exploitation of natural resources without damaging the environment.