KOICA Pledges to Support Vietnam HCM City in Developing PPP Projects

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will attempt to cooperate with Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City to implement projects, especially those under public-private partnership (PPP) model, said KOICA Chairman Kim In Shik. Mr. Shik said in a response to a proposal from Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Dinh La Thang who paid a courtesy visit to him during a recent eight-day visit by the city’s high level delegation to South Korea.  The agency’s office was officially established in Vietnam in 1994 with a target to boost activities in technical cooperation and grants of South Korean government to Vietnam. KOICA projects and programs have proved effective in the country’s development, Mr. Thang said. Mr. Thang also appreciated the agency’s assistances to conduct pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for the second phase of metro line No.5, from Bay Hien crossroads to Can Giuoc bus station. He proposed KOICA to continue studying and putting forward infrastructure projects in the city and support the city to develop PPP projects. The agency should assist the city to build mechanisms to call on private sector to develop infrastructure. The Vietnamese official also seeks KOICA support to select suitable PPP projects, train human resources to carry out the projects, organize auctions to choose investors and improve negotiation skills of PPP contracts. (Saigongp Sept 9)