Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh highlighted Ca Mau’s important role in the past struggles for national independence and its achievements in the current process of national construction and development.

The provincial Party and people have made great efforts to continue developing the province towards renewal and prosperity, he said.

Deputy PM Ninh said that from agricultural province, Ca Mau has quickly overcome poverty to become a middle-income province and one of the four key economic zones in the Mekong Delta region. Its GDP has increased annually by 11 percent and per capita income has quadrupled to more than US$1,100.

Mr Ninh urged the province to continue restructuring its economy towards increasing industry and services, as well as ensuring social welfare to promote sustainable development.

Cau Mau has the Mui Ca Mau World Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO recognized natural site which can be promoted for eco-tourism.

It is also developing strongly into one of the key industrialized provinces with a 1,500MW electric power plant and a fertilizer plant capable of producing 800,000 tonnes per year, in addition to the Nam Can Economic Zone currently under construction.

The province held a fair on the same day to showcase its socio-economic achievements in the 15 years of its re-establishment.