The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed an agreement to help Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport to carry out a project to enhance capacity in road maintenance. The Project for Capacity Enhancement in Road Maintenance, which began in September 2011, aims to help Vietnam monitor and maintain its roadways with a road asset management database and with a pavement management system (PMS). During the first phase from September 2011 to March 2014, the JICA conducted several activities including using specialized vehicles to check the pavement conditions on 23 national roads in northern Vietnam. It also developed a guideline for future road inspection and maintenance. The JICA and the ministry’s Directorate for Roads of Vietnam will start the second phase this December. The project is slated for completion in three years. The JICA had disbursed nearly JPY60 billion ($250.2 million) for transport projects in Vietnam as of Dec 30, accounting for 51.6% of the sector’s total pledged loan for Vietnam in the 2013 fiscal year ending March 2014. (vietnamplus.vn Nov 5, chinhphu.vn Nov 6, Dau Tu – Investment Nov 7 p5)
