Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the Defence Ministry to speed up the first phase of the project to build border patrol roads and finalise the plan for the second phase.

While chairing a January 8 conference to review the implementation of the project in the 2006-2010 period and launch the second phase, PM Dung said the plan must suit the economic situation of the country while ensuring forest protection.

The PM made it clear that the building of roads for patrolling shared border areas is part of the Party and State’s policy of enhancing the management and protection of the national sovereignty and border security, ensuring the social order in boundary areas and boosting the local economy and living conditions of local communities.

He outlined the needs in building the roads such as improving supervision and management and ensuring more efficient technical procedures are used.

He said that it is necessary for ministries, sectors and localities to coordinate closely in land clearance, road construction and use in order to optimise the investment efficiency.

A report released at the conference said that despite difficulties created by complicated terrain and extreme weather in border areas, the patrol road construction is progressing well.

All routes have been designed carefully to suite the specific natural conditions and meet technical standards, said the report.

The roads, combining with normal roads and other border belts, make up a useful transport system to all border communes, contributing to fueling socio-economic development and reducing poverty for locals, most of whom are from ethnic minority groups, the report added.

Source: VNA/Photo: qdnd.vn