Disbursement highlights ODA success story

December 07, 2010 | 14:14

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Around $3.5 billion in disbursed official development assistance capital in 2010 has showcased great efforts by the Vietnamese government and the donor community.

Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) figures show that total ODA committed capital would exceed $4 billion in 2010 (including $3.86 billion loans and $232 million grants) and realised capital was around $3.5 billion against last year’s $4.1 billion.

“This year’s disbursed amount reflected certain improvements thanks to the government’s close guidance and constant efforts by relevant state agencies as well as donors in facilitating ODA sources’ disbursement,” Minh said.

The MPI’s report to 2010 Consultative Group meeting in Hanoi on December 7, 2010 reads that in the past year the government’s ODA working group had been quite proactive in dealing with arising issues in preparing and implementing ODA projects.

Besides, the group has been working effectively with development banks and groups such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, KFD Group, France-based AFD and UK’s Kexim Bank, in realising action plans to ameliorate the implementation of ODA projects and programmes from 2010-2011.

Alongside attainments, the MPI had voiced hindrances towards ODA disbursement, including cumbersome and time-consuming approval procedures, poor performance of some agencies and localities in project establishment, evaluation and approval.

In a related development, World Bank Vietnam country director Victoria Kwakwa hailed Vietnam’s ODA disbursement improvements. However, she said the pace of disbursement as well as the aid’s efficiency must be further ameliorated to help the country lure more FDI.

“The matter is how to help local people to reap more benefits from ODA projects and programmes,” she said.

By Ha Nguyen

vir.com.vn

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