Attending the workshop were Prof. DSc Dao Trong Hung, the Vietnam Scientific and Technological Institute; Prof. Dr Pham Ngoc Dang, Chairman of the Vietnam Construction and Environment Association, Director of Industry and Urban Environment Center; Dr. Hoang Van Huan, Director of the Investment Promotion Center of Northern Vietnam; representative of the Standing Committee of the People's Council, districts, city and related departments and branches in the province.

In the first session with the topic "Potentiality, opportunity and challenges in development of Quang Binh", the workshop was listened the introduction of Department of Planning and Investment about overview of potentiality, opportunity and challenges in development of Quang Binh; Department of Industry and Trade presented potentiality, development plan and challenges of the industry department of Quang Binh; the Management Board of Industrial Parks and Economic Zones introduced about overview of industrial park, Hon La economic zone - potentials, advantages and difficulties; Prof. DSc Dao Trong Hung, the Vietnam Scientific and Technological Institute presented the process of industrial development and life stabilization after resettlement; Department of Culture - Sport - Tourism introduced about potentiality and challenges in development of tourism industry in Quang Binh; Department of Agriculture and Rural Development presented potentiality and challenges in conservation of biodiversity in Quang Binh; Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park introduced about potentials and challenges in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park; Mr. Josh Kempinski, an expert of conservation, representative of FFI Organization delivered a speech on environment and sustainable development in Quang Binh.

Workshop "Quang Binh - potentiality, opportunity and challenges in sustainable development"

In the second session with the topic "Solution and policy towards sustainable development orientations in Quang Binh", the workshop is listened to Prof. Dr Pham Ngoc Dang, Chairman of the Vietnam Construction and Environment Association, Director of Industry and Urban Environment Center to strategic environment assessment (SEA), experience lesson from SEA with the master plan for socio-economic development in Phu Quoc Island; Dr. Hoang Van Huan, Director of the Investment Promotion Center of Northern Vietnam made a speech on foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam, experience in investment promotion of Quang Binh province; Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry delivered a speech on competitive ability of Quang Binh province in 2007 and main solutions to improve competitive ability of Quang Binh; Master Nguyen Quang Vinh, Investment Promotion Center of North Vietnam introduced the skills of investment promotion.

The speeches mainly appreciated Quang Binh being a province which has an abundant natural resources and advantage in accelerating the speed of socio-economic development. There is a coastal line of 116 km with many estuaries and beaches, a lot of rare and precious seafood with high value for exporting such as lobster, various kinds of cuttle and holothurian. Quang Binh also has a lot of metal minerals such as iron, lead, pyrites, gold, titanium, zinc and non-metal minerals as kaolin, quartz white sand, limestone and granite. Forest in Quang Binh has total area of over 219,743 hectares of primeval forestland with wood reserve of 26.713 million m3 and over 250 forest trees, of which a lot of rare and precious woods such as ebony, ironwood, sindora wood, textured wood and pine. Quang Binh is endowed by nature with many historical relics and famous landscapes such as Ngang Pass, Mu Da Pass, Heaven Gate, Fairy Grotto, Cha Lo International Border Gate, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Da Nhay Beach, Vung Chua - Dao Yen eco-tourism area, Hon La Seaport, Bang mineral hot spring, especially the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park which was recognized by the UNESCO as the world natural heritage and is one of three wonders of Vietnam nominated in the voting for seven new world wonders on the website www.new7wonders.com launched by the NewOpenWorld.

With those potentials, so far, about 110 projects with total registered capital of over VND 20,000 billion have been invested in Quang Binh. In which, 12 are being carried out and 39 are issued Certificate of Investment with total registered capital of over VND 11,000 billion. In 2007, 59 projects were registered investment with total registered capital of over VND 8,000 billion, in which 22 were issued Certificate of Investment with total capital of VND 1,600 billion.

The workshop is a good chance to supply information, appraise potentiality, opportunity and challenges in the process of exploitation of natural resources for socio-economic development, sustainable development of Quang Binh province. This is also an opportunity to discuss on policy structure and solutions to bring into play the strengths of all economic sectors; exploit and use natural resources suitably for socio-economic development of Quang Binh.

By N.Y