Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a meeting on May 4 to review progress, address bottlenecks and accelerate the implementation of Phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport, with the goal of putting the project into commercial operation in 2026.
The project, covering around 5,000 hectares, has a total investment of approximately 109.1 trillion VND (4,14 billion USD) in its first phase. It is regarded as a key national infrastructure project drawing close attention from Party and State leaders.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam personally conducting on-site inspections, while the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers have maintained regular oversight, supervision and close direction of its implementation.
Reports presented at the meeting indicated that substantial progress has been made, with total completion reaching around 76%. Key components are already operational, including the headquarters of State management agencies, the air traffic control tower, Runway No.1, taxiways and aircraft aprons, fuel supply systems, and transport connectivity infrastructure.
As schedule, the project will be completed within 2026. However, it is currently facing multiple challenges, including legal violations by certain organisations and individuals, disruptions in site management, payment bottlenecks, labour shortages, and fluctuations in material supply and prices, raising concerns over potential delays.
Concluding the meeting, PM Hung affirmed that the Long Thanh International Airport project is of an exceptionally large scale, serving as a key national project and strategic transport infrastructure with profound importance for the country’s socio-economic development.
He stressed that while violations must be handled strictly in accordance with the law, urgent and appropriate measures must be taken to remove obstacles and ensure the project is not delayed or disrupted.
He underscored that the 2026 completion target is mandatory, requiring all stakeholders to act with greater determination, ensure quality and efficiency, and prevent wastefulness or delays.
Relevant ministries and agencies were instructed to urgently address two immediate priorities, including consolidating key leadership positions at the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) to strengthen governance, and settlement of payment issues for completed contractor work.
The Ministry of Public Security was tasked with expediting investigations into violations, ensuring accountability while facilitating continued project implementation. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction were directed to coordinate solutions related to payments and construction materials.
The personnel restructuring plan for the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) must be approved before May 7, after which the ACV is required to promptly implement organisational consolidation in line with the Ministry of Finance’s direction, he underlined.
The ACV was assigned full responsibility for project progress and quality, including reviewing completed work volumes for timely payments and mobilising additional resources where necessary.
Local authorities, particularly in the host province of Dong Nai, were urged to ensure stable supplies of construction materials at reasonable prices and support workforce mobilisation.
The PM also directed the State Audit Office to promptly audit completed project components to help prevent risks and address potential shortcomings.
Standing Deputy PM Pham Gia Tuc was assigned to directly oversee the implementation of tasks, while ministries and agencies were urged to proactively resolve issues within their authority and report any outstanding matters in a timely manner./.
