The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) at a press conference reviewing the agency’s work in Việt Nam in the first half of the 2021 fiscal year. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) will continue its efforts to support Việt Nam's socio-economic development, JICA Chief Representative in Việt Nam, Shimizu Akira, said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference reviewing the agency’s work in Việt Nam in the first half of the fiscal year 2021 (from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021), Shimizu said that JICA has focused on technical and financial cooperation and consolidating friendship between Việt Nam and Japan.

He said that he highly appreciated efforts made by Việt Nam during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the most recent wave since late April.

“Japan has been supporting Việt Nam to overcome this difficult time,” he said, adding that Japan has given Việt Nam more than four million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. More than 260 Japanese companies have donated 158.6 billion (US$7 million) to Việt Nam’s fund for vaccination.   

During the first half of the 2021 fiscal year, JICA implemented 168 projects in Việt Nam including Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans, technical assistance, non-refundable aid, development partnership programmes and volunteer exchange programmes.

JICA also implemented infrastructure improvement projects, human resource development projects and market-oriented economy institutions, as well as more traditional assistance in agriculture, climate change, green growth and environmental improvement.

The agency completed surveys and studies for a project on developing Liên Chiểu Port in the central city of Đà Nẵng. In October last year, the Mai Dịch –Nam Thăng Long viaduct, part of Hà Nội’s Ring road No3, was opened. 

In May 2021, JICA lent $25 million to develop an on-land wind power plant with a capacity of 144MW in the central province of Quảng Trị. In August, the expansion of Đa Nhim Hydropower Plant in Lâm Đồng and Ninh Thuận Provinces was completed.

In human resource development, JICA conducted projects with the Việt Nam-Japan University, Việt Nam-Japan Human Resource Cooperation Centre, Cần Thơ University and continued the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS Program), offering Masters course in English in Japan.

In healthcare, JICA helped Việt Nam improve healthcare service quality and medical facilities in hospitals. Testing capacity relating to communicable diseases was improved in both Huế Central Hospital and Chợ Rẫy Hospital.

In July 2021, JICA provided Việt Nam with 1,600 cold boxes, with attached temperature monitoring devices, in a bid to support the national inoculation campaign in vaccine transportation.   

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, JICA’s Chief Representative in Việt Nam said that JICA would continue to provide assistance in COVID-19 prevention and control measures, as well as economic development.

As shown by the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to strengthen the healthcare system, he said. For the post-COVID-19 economic recovery, it is important to further develop infrastructure and human resources. 

He added that as well as projects that increase Việt Nam’s connections to the rest of the world, JICA would also pay attention to improving local transport, for example fixing degraded bridges on national highways.

To meet the requirements of economic development and population growth, JICA has been implementing projects that aim to improve living conditions for people in Việt Nam, such as clean power plants and wastewater treatment plants. 

During the 2020 fiscal year, Japan committed over VNĐ10 trillion ($442 million) in loans to Việt Nam, technical assistance worth VNĐ874 billion and non-refundable aid of VNĐ427 billion. More than 100 Japan’s projects were conducted in Việt Nam during the fiscal year. — VNS