The central coastal province of Ninh Thuan has called upon domestic and foreign investors to finance 72 projects in various sectors from now till 2020, according to the Ninh Thuan Economic Development Office (EDO).

Of these projects, 25 will be in the industry sector, 20 in the fields of real-estate and construction, 11 in tourism and services, 10 in agriculture, and six in the energy, education and healthcare sectors, it said.

Nui Chua, a high-end tourism complex covering 250 hectares (ha) in the Ninh Hai District, is one of the major projects as it will require a total capital of 5 trillion VND (233.6 million USD), while a 560ha Phuoc Dinh residential area project in Thuan Nam district will cost 1.5 trillion VND (more than 70 million USD).

Meanwhile, infrastructure development for the 1,000ha-Ca Na Industrial Zone in Thuan Nam district will need 5 trillion VND in investments.

Among other large projects in need of investment capital of 5 trillion VND are the Doc Ham seaport in Thuan Nam district; the Ninh Phuoc district-located Phuoc Dan wind power plant capitalised at 1.3 trillion VND (60.75 million USD); the development of a plant producing solar power equipment which would cost between 400 billion VND (18.7 million USD) and 500 billion VND (23.4 million USD).

Last year, Ninh Thuan reported modest results in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) as it licensed only two foreign-invested projects, worth a combined 12 million USD, said an official at EDO, who declined to be named.

He added that the province is aiming to attract 400 million to 500 million USD in FDI this year.

To this end, the province has joined hands with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to organise an investment promotion conference in the southern city next week.

The province's economy is mainly driven by energy, fisheries, processing, agriculture and tourism.-VNA