The event, which was organised in Dak Lak province, also saw the participation of leaders from five Central Highlands provinces: Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Nong and Lam Dong.
Deputy Minister Son said that the working session aimed to provide heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad with further understanding about socio-economic development, defence and security in the Central Highlands, acting as a bridge between the Central Highlands and the international community.
He noted that heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad are also expected to study and seek foreign partners for investment in the Central Highlands, particularly in high-tech agriculture and to expand export markets for major farm produce in the region including coffee, pepper and rubber.
According to Deputy Head of the Central Highlands Steering Committee Tran Viet Hung, the Central Highlands has a total area of over 54,600 km2 (accounting for 16% of the total national area) and a population of 5.6 million (accounting for 6% of the total national population), with over 35% of the population from ethnic minority groups.
The region sees an average economic growth rate of 9% per year. Despite the prolonged drought in the first half of this year, the region reported a GDP growth rate of 7.2% over the same period last year, Hung noted.
The agricultural and forestry sectors account for 43% of the regional GDP in 2015 while the proportion was 71.4% in 2001.
The Central Highlands now has over 577,800 ha of coffee; 259,500 ha of rubber; 53,500 ha of pepper; 23,800 ha of tea; and 76,500 ha of cashew nuts; among other types of agricultural products.
