Fujita Yasuo, JICA Chief Representative in Vietnam
Reporter: In a press conference, you mentioned the three pillars under which JICA will continue its ODA implementation in Vietnam in fiscal year 2017: “Promotion of growth and competitiveness”, “Strengthening of Resilience”, and “Good Governance”. Could you please explain more clearly on these 3 pillars? Mr Fujita Yasuo: As the Implementing Agency for Japan’s ODA, JICA has been supporting Vietnam in achieving sustainable growth with its national target to be a “modern industrialized nation” in line with the 5 Year Socio-Economic Development Plan (2016-2020) and the Socio-Economic Development Strategy (2011-2020) of Vietnam. The Japanese Government’s development assistance strategy for Vietnam stipulates the following three pillars:
Pillar 1: Promotion of economic growth and strengthening of international competitiveness
The first and sustainable economic growth in the world economy has been one of top priority policies of Vietnam. JICA considers that Vietnam needs to address, particularly, the following challenges: stabilizing the macro economy and structural reform, reform of State-owned enterprises (SOEs); strengthening the competitiveness of industries and human resources development; and development of infrastructure.
Regarding policy reform, JICA has been helping the government improve the investment climate through policy dialogue and advice, prepare long-term industrialization strategies of six key sectors, and implement SOE reform and banking sector restructuring.
For business development, JICA has been assisting the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and supporting industries through improving their corporate management, production technologies, and access to finance. It has also actively been supporting human resources development through upgrading of universities, and technical and vocational training institutes.
Regarding infrastructure, JICA projects include, in particular, development of arterial transport infrastructure (roads, seaports, airports, and railways), and power plants and transmission networks through using Japanese advanced technologies and know-how. One of typical projects is Terminal 2 of Noi Bai International Airport, Nhat Tan bridge and the connecting road, which significantly shortened travel time between the airport and the capital city. JICA projects constructed 11 thermal and hydropower projects, accounting for about 14% of total generation capacity of the country.
Pillar 2: Strengthening of resilience
In spite of high economic growth, Vietnam has also been facing social and environmental issues including poverty, economic disparity among people, insufficient health services, disaster prevention, environmental pollution, and climate change. JICA supports Vietnam to address these challenges through the following activities:
- Infrastructure development to meet basic human needs, such as water and sewerage, rural roads/bridges;
- Agriculture and rural development, including construction of irrigation systems, development of value chain of agricultural products, upgrading of production technologies;
- Improvement of health care services through upgrading of large hospitals (Bach Mai, Cho Ray and Hue), vaccination production, prevention of infectious diseases, diffusion of maternal and child health handbook, capacity development of local hospitals and health workers;
- Disaster prevention through, for example, weather forecasting, flood early warning system, community based disaster prevention systems;
- Environmental management and conservation of natural environment, such as biodiversity conservation and forest management;
- Mitigation of and adaptation to climate change through policy formulation, and prevention of salinity intrusion in Mekong Delta; and
- Establishment of anti-human trafficking hotline
Pillar 3: Good governance
Good governance is one of foundations of sustainable socio-economic development. JICA has considered the following key challenges in governance sector of Vietnam: legal and judiciary reform; strengthening of administrative functions and capacity; enhancing functions of National Assembly (NA); and promotion of citizen participation.
Regarding judiciary and legal reform, JICA has been providing a series of technical cooperation projects since 1996. The project has been supporting drafting and revising civil and procedural laws; improvement of enforcement of laws and regulations; and capacity development of judicial institutions and human resources.
Concerning the administration, JICA has been supporting capacity enhancement of party members, government officials and civil servants through Ho Chi Minh National Academy; administrative and civil services reforms; and strengthen capacity of the Office of Government for policy formulation and implementation. JICA presently plans to commence a large scale of technical cooperation regarding human resources development of political leaders and government officials, and administrative reforms in 2018.
JICA has been supporting capacity development of NA Office to enhance its functions of legislation and supervision of the Government. We have also been providing cooperation to Vietnam Television (VTV) on raising people’s awareness about socio-development issues.
Reporter: Many of Japan’s ODA projects have been implemented in Vietnam. How do you assess the general effectiveness of the implementation of Japan’s ODA projects in Vietnam? Could you kindly give us some information on one project that you find typical in fiscal year 2017, so far?
Mr Fujita Yasuo: The implementation of Japan’s ODA projects has been generally effective. Project objectives have been achieved, and project benefits have been delivered to intended people, communities and society. You can see a number of areas where JICA provided development cooperation: infrastructure development in transport and power generation, improvement of health services, human resources development in many areas, support to policy reforms, etc. All of these have contributed to the rapid economic growth and better living of the people in the country.
Among completed projects in 2017, I would like to introduce Tan Vu - Lach Huyen road and bridge inaugurated on September 2nd, 2017. This is a component of the Project on construction of Tan Vu - Lach Huyen large-scale deep-water international port in Hai Phong city.
This will meet the increasing demand of ocean shipping in Vietnam and fulfil the capacity of receiving container vessels, hence promote economic development and enhance the international competitiveness of the Northern region in particular and Vietnam in general. Furthermore, this infrastructure plays major role in promoting the implementation of integrated economic development strategy of Vietnam which aims at restructuring the economy, re-allocating manufacturing and labour resources in order to maximize the potentials of the localities where the transport infrastructure is set up.
The Tan Vu - Lach Huyen road section has a total length of 15.63 km, of which 5.44 km is the longest sea-crossing bridge in the South-East Asia. The project is applied with advanced Japanese construction technologies with the advantage of fast implementation and strict quality control during the construction progress. Also, under the method of the bridge’s foundation construction, the prevention of land subsidence caused by soil accretion in the downstream area in the future is considered.
The Lach Huyen international port is expected to be inaugurated in 2018. At present, therefore, it is too early to say that this project already delivers intended benefit to the economy, industry and the people. Time of transportation between Dinh Vu and Cat Hai has been largely improved. Previously, it took 60 to 75 minutes by using ferry services, and the frequency of ferry was only once per hour. Now, it takes only 15 minutes using the new bridge, and it can be used any time. The number of vehicles using the bridge is already around 2,000 per day. The planned number of vehicle in 2020 is 35,000 per day.
Reporter: What is the future direction of JICA to Vietnam in fiscal year 2018?
Mr Fujita Yasuo: JICA will continue Japanese ODA to Vietnam with the three pillars in 2018, while adjusting their contents to meet emerging development needs of the country.
In 2018, JICA will place emphasis on the facilitation of all ongoing projects; resumption of suspended projects such as Hanoi urban railways line 1 and line 2; and, commencement of already agreed projects. One of projects presently planned for launch is technical cooperation with the Communist Party to support administrative reform, and human resources development of political leaders and government officials for the next five years. Regarding ODA loan projects, particularly, JICA would like to continue requesting the Vietnamese Government to solve the delayed payment issue of ODA loan proceeds to contractors. In parallel, we will consult with relevant authorities and prepare new projects.
When formulating and implementing projects, through using Japanese experience and know-how, JICA would like to support “quality growth” and “high quality infrastructure development”; human resources development in corporate management, technical skills, health, higher education, judiciary, public management, Japanese language; and introduce and test new ideas and approaches of Japanese private firms, local governments, universities, and civil society to solve Vietnam’s development challenges./.
Reporter: Thank you very much!