Vietnam is effectively using official development assistance (ODA) capital for development projects, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said June 16, citing an official from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The official made the appraisal at a seminar in Hanoi on June 15, which is part of activities agreed by the JICA and the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to improve the country’s assessing capacity on ODA projects. At the seminar, JICA and the MPI, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Electricity of Vietnam Group and the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam signed a deal for assessing ODA projects this year. Last year, JICA ranked the three Vietnamese ODA-funded projects at “A” grade, the highest point in its assessing standard. The projects comprise the upgrade of Tien Sa port worth $148.76 million, a $414.3-million Hai Van pass tunnel upgrade project and a $202.56 million Hanoi environment project. JICA has pledged to fund JPY18.3 billion ($203.6 million) to the East-West Corridor and Water Environment Improvement projects in the southern metropolis, state media reported. At the Consultative Group Meeting held in Hanoi on December 3-4 last year, Japan pledged to provide Vietnam with $1.64 billion in ODA this year.
