A key political task for 2026 and the entire term   

Delivering directive remarks at the conference, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung underscored that Conclusion No.18-KL/TW of the second plenum of the Party Central Committee emphasized the need to enhance the socio-economic efficiency of public investment projects, while clearly defining the responsibilities of ministers, provincial Party secretaries and chairpersons of provincial People’s Committees in implementing assigned tasks. These, he noted, are highly important directives from the Party Central Committee and the General Secretary, President To Lam.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government identifies public investment as a highly important political task for 2026 and the entire term; a key macroeconomic management tool; and a crucial driver for achieving double-digit growth, developing synchronized and modern infrastructure, and opening up new development space for the country.

Public investment must truly play a leading, catalytic and spillover role for total social investment; serve as “seed capital” to mobilize social resources; and create projects with practical and effective use value, thereby promoting production and business activities, generating jobs and livelihoods, and contributing to social security.

Accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital must go hand in hand with ensuring construction quality and improving the efficiency of capital use; while conducting socio-economic efficiency accounting in capital allocation in line with Conclusion No.18 of the Party Central Committee.

Regarding the disbursement situation in 2026, the Prime Minister commended seven ministries, agencies and 16 localities with disbursement rates higher than the national average, while firmly criticizing 28 ministries, agencies and 18 localities with rates below the average.

He stated that public investment disbursement results have been made public on the Government Portal and will continue to be disclosed monthly. Ministers, heads of sectors and local leaders must seriously review, assess and take decisive and specific actions on both progress and quality to achieve immediate improvements.

For recommendations raised at the conference, the Prime Minister requested ministries and agencies, within their assigned functions and tasks, to study and urgently address them within their authority, and to provide written responses before May 10.

He added that the handling of difficulties and bottlenecks is being carried out in a highly decisive manner. On April 9, the Standing Board of the Government Party Committee and the Government Standing Committee convened to address long-delayed projects; on April 10, the Government Party Committee reported to the Politburo; on April 13, the Politburo issued its conclusion; on April 14, the Government submitted proposals to the National Assembly; and on April 24, the National Assembly adopted a resolution on special mechanisms and policies to handle violations of land laws by organizations and individuals occurring before the 2024 Land Law took effect, as well as solutions to continue removing obstacles for prolonged and delayed projects. On that basis, provincial Party secretaries, chairpersons of provincial People’s Committees and ministers must take decisive responsibility for fully resolving project bottlenecks.

“Such complex and difficult issues have been handled very quickly. So why can’t the implementation of projects be accelerated? The same tasks, but without strong determination and close, decisive direction, they cannot be accomplished,” the Prime Minister stressed.

Public investment must go hand in hand with ensuring construction quality

The Prime Minister noted that public investment remains scattered and has yet to sufficiently prioritize socio-economic efficiency; project preparation is weak, procedures remain cumbersome, capital allocation is slow, site clearance is delayed, materials are lacking, coordination is not synchronized, and the role of leaders is at times not fully exercised. Prolonged slow disbursement and underutilization of capital require strong corrective measures.

The causes of slow disbursement include both objective and subjective factors, with subjective factors being the main ones. Administrative discipline and order are not strict in some areas; certain ministries, sectors and localities lack proactiveness and determination, with a tendency to avoid responsibility.

In addition, inspection, examination and handling of delayed projects remain limited; coordination among agencies is not tight; and the capacity of some project owners, project management boards and contractors is still weak. Procedures for investment, payment, ODA projects and digital transformation face obstacles; prices of materials and labor fluctuate, while guidance on adjustments remains untimely.

Outlining key tasks and solutions in the time ahead, the Prime Minister called for continued thorough understanding and strict, decisive and effective implementation of resolutions and conclusions of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the National Assembly and the Government, as well as directives of the Prime Minister on accelerating the allocation and disbursement of public investment capital, with much stronger political determination. Accelerating disbursement must go hand in hand with ensuring construction quality, labor safety, and preventing corruption, negativity, losses and waste.

All investment decisions and capital allocations must be accompanied by socio-economic efficiency accounting and evaluation. Public investment disbursement results of ministries, agencies and localities are among the important criteria for evaluating officials under Regulation No.366-QD/TW of the Politburo, the Prime Minister emphasized.