Vietnam to Set up Negotiation Team for Urban Water Supply, Drainage Project

The Vietnamese prime minister has approved to set up a negotiation team to work with the World Bank (WB) about loan agreement and legal documents for an urban water supply and wastewater project. The team includes representatives of Government Office, State Audit, ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Construction and the State Bank of Vietnam. The group was empowered to collaborate with agencies to prepare necessary procedures for the negotiation and report to the PM after the negotiation is completed. The $200-million project’s first phase is aimed to upgrade water supply and wastewater treatment systems in 11 provinces of Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Lam Dong, Quang Tri, Dak Lak, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc and Kien Giang. More than 90% of total volume of wastewater in Vietnam has not yet been treated so far, experts said, adding that the country aims to treat over 80% of its total wastewater volume by 2025. (baodientu.chinhphu.vn April 20)