Vietnam PM Oks $64M Disaster Risk Mitigation Project for GMS Countries

The Vietnamese prime minister has approved a flood and drought risk management and mitigation project worth $63.91M in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries. Of the sum, $45 million will come from the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s loan and $5.45M will be granted by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). The PM has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to closely work with authorities in the southern provinces of Dong Thap and Tien Giang to complete all necessary documents for the project.  The ministry has been empowered to assess and take responsibility for appraising the project in line with the current regulations. The project is aimed to improve the ability of communities in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam to prepare for, respond to, and recover from negative impacts of floods and droughts in efforts to minimize economic and human life losses. The project will also help better flood and drought risk management on about 130,000 hectares of land at sites in the tributaries and along the main stream of the Mekong River in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and will reduce the vulnerability to floods of over one million people. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi Nov 21 p3)