WB Approves US$225Mln Support to Vietnam

The World Bank (WB)’s Board of Executive Directors recently approved three credits to Vietnam to help bring water and sanitation facilities to rural villages, prevent natural calamities to save lives and property, and bring government information closer to all Vietnamese citizens.

 

The two projects, Red River Delta Rural Water supply project and Natural Disaster Risk Management project, are the first ones to be funded by the WB’s adaptable programme loans (APLs).

The US$45.8 million loan for the Red River Delta Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project will support the first phase of a Vietnam Rural Water Supply Programme. It will help extend access to treated water for 800,000 people and will enable some 600,000 people to have access to hygienic toilets and improved drainage. The project will support initiatives in the four provinces of Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Thai Binh.

 

The US$86 million credit to finance the first of the two-phases of the Natural Disaster Risk Management programme aims to save lives and protect economic assets, particularly in poor communities living in hazard prone areas; and improve the efficiency of long-term reconstruction efforts. This will be achieved through the provision of funding for: structural and non-structural investments to mitigate the impact of recurring natural disasters; rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure in the aftermath of natural disasters; and capacity building of national and local institutions in preparedness, response, and long-term recovery.

 

The third no-interest loan of US$93.7 million to finance the Information and Communication Technology Development (ICT) project expects to bring greater availability of and access to information about government policies, services and procedures. The project comprises five subprojects in three areas: leadership in ICT and modernisation of the Ministry of Post and Telematics; modernisation of the General Statistics Office, and E-applications for the municipalities of Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City.