Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà (right) had talks with outgoing Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Việt Nam Office Shimizu Akira in Hà Nội. — Photo from the Việt Nam Government Portal

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà received outgoing Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Việt Nam Office Shimizu Akira in Hà Nội on Monday.

At the reception, Hà highly valued JICA’s contributions to the implementation of Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) projects in Việt Nam, saying JICA’s programmes and projects in Việt Nam had realised cooperation agreements between the two countries in a timely manner.

The Vietnamese Government and people were interested in and made efforts to effectively implement the Japanese ODA loans, the official affirmed.

Currently, Japan is Việt Nam's biggest ODA supplier and has played a role in socio-economic development, poverty reduction, environmental improvement, and administrative management in Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities, according to the deputy prime minister.

Recalling the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo held in Tokyo earlier this month which he attended, Hà said he had sidelines meetings with some Japanese leaders and parliamentarians to discuss ways to support Việt Nam in just energy transition, carbon neutrality, and climate change response.

Activities of the JICA Vietnam Office had contributed to promoting the extensive strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Japan, the official said.

For his part, Akira said he treasures the cooperation with Việt Nam and noted his readiness to support Japan’s projects and programmes for Việt Nam.

He also suggested accelerating the implementation of cooperation projects in the field of environment.— VNS