KOICA to Fund $2.5M for Waste Control Project in Vietnam

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will fund $2.5 million for a project to manage toxic wastes in Vietnam, which uses electronic manifest system (E-Manifest Project). Officials of the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) and the Korea Environment Corporation (KECO) signed a memorandum on understanding of the project in Hanoi on Sept 1, the Dat Viet newspaper reported Sept 7. The $3-million project, to be carried out in the period of 2010-2012, will focus on closely controlling discharge, transport and treatment of harmful wastes by an e-manifest system instead of paperwork.  The project will also include completing the legal framework for applying hazardous waste control system, building and installing software systems, enhancing capability of Vietnamese staff.  South Korea pledged to provide $270 million in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam this year. (Dat Viet – National Land Sept 7 p8, nea.gov.vn)